All Flashcards
What is the role of the water cycle in nutrient transport?
The water cycle acts as a delivery service, moving nutrients and other substances around the planet.
Explain the connection between the water cycle and other biogeochemical cycles.
The water cycle interacts with other cycles by transporting elements and compounds, influencing their distribution and availability.
Why is understanding human impacts on the water cycle crucial?
Human activities can significantly disrupt the water cycle, leading to environmental consequences like flooding, erosion, and water scarcity.
How does deforestation affect the water cycle?
Deforestation reduces transpiration, leading to increased runoff, decreased infiltration, and increased risk of flooding and erosion.
How do agriculture and urbanization affect the water cycle?
They increase water demand, potentially leading to water scarcity and altered runoff patterns.
Describe the impact of climate change on the water cycle.
Climate change can alter precipitation patterns, increase evaporation rates, and lead to more extreme weather events, impacting water availability and distribution.
What is the role of surface runoff in the water cycle?
Surface runoff returns water to bodies of water, replenishing reservoirs and maintaining aquatic ecosystems.
What is the importance of percolation in the water cycle?
Percolation replenishes groundwater reserves, which are a vital source of drinking water and support ecosystems.
What is the role of plant uptake in the water cycle?
Plant uptake removes water from the soil, which is then transpired back into the atmosphere, contributing to evapotranspiration.
How do dams and water diversion projects affect the water cycle?
They alter natural flow patterns, potentially harming wildlife and disrupting the natural cycle.
What are the main steps of the water cycle?
Evaporation/Transpiration, Condensation, Precipitation, Runoff/Percolation/Plant Uptake.
Describe the process of evapotranspiration.
Liquid water is converted to water vapor through evaporation and transpiration, then rises into the atmosphere.
Outline the steps of precipitation formation.
Water vapor condenses in the atmosphere, forming clouds, and then falls back to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
Explain the process of surface runoff.
Water flows over the land's surface, collecting in streams and rivers, and eventually returning to larger bodies of water.
Describe the process of percolation.
Water seeps into the ground, filtering through soil and rock layers, and replenishing groundwater aquifers.
Explain the process of plant uptake of water.
Plants absorb water through their roots, transport it to their leaves, and use it for photosynthesis and transpiration.
Describe the process of condensation.
Water vapor in the air cools and changes back into liquid form, forming clouds.
What happens to precipitation after it reaches the ground?
It either flows as runoff, percolates into the ground, or is taken up by plants.
Describe the movement of water from the ocean to the land and back.
Evaporation from the ocean, transport of water vapor over land, precipitation, runoff, and return flow to the ocean.
What is the role of gravity in the water cycle?
Gravity drives the flow of water downhill, influencing runoff and percolation.
Define hydrologic cycle.
The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.
What is evapotranspiration?
The combined processes of evaporation and transpiration, representing total water vapor entering the atmosphere.
Define evaporation.
The process where liquid water turns into water vapor due to heat.
What is transpiration?
The process where plants release water vapor through their leaves.
Define precipitation.
Water falling from the atmosphere in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
What is surface runoff?
Water flowing over the land's surface into bodies of water.
Define percolation.
The process of water being absorbed into the ground and becoming groundwater.
What is plant uptake?
The absorption of water by plants through their roots.
Define groundwater.
Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.