The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity exam style questions Exam Solved 100% Correct!!

What is meant by a store and a flow? - A store is where water is held for varying amounts of 'residence' time. A flow is the movement of water between stores Identify the three largest stores in size order - 1. The oceans 2. Icecaps and glaciers 3. Groundwater Which two water stores are non-renewable, and why? - 1. Fossil water: old, deep groundwater from former wetter periods 2. Losses from the cryosphere: melting of ice as a result of global warming Distinguish between blue and green water - Blue water is stored in rivers, lakes and groundwater in liquid form — a visible part of the hydrological cycle. Green water is water stored in the soil and vegetation — an invisible part of the hydrological cycle Why is the hydrological cycle a closed system? - There are no external inputs and outputs. It is a self-contained entity. Some might argue solar energy, which drives the cycle, is an input What is the water budget, and why does it vary from place to place? - The water budget of a place is the difference between the amount of water gained from precipitation and the amount lost as a result of evapotranspiration. The budget is in surplus when precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration. It is in deficit when the situation is reversed. It varies from place to place because climate (precipitation and temperature) does What are the main inputs of a drainage basin system? - Precipitation. Also possibly water from a tributary basin What are the main outputs of a drainage basin system? - Evaporation, transpiration and river dischargeHow does relief affect the inputs and outputs of a drainage basin? - Altitude will affect the precipitation input (orographic rain or snow). The steepness of slopes will affect the rate of runoff — the steeper the slope, the faster the rate