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AQA A level geography water and Carbon revision guide
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WATER AND CARBON REVISION GUIDE
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Water and Carbon Revision, Systems Water + Stores
System – represents different components + their • 97% of water = saline sea/ocean
interrelationships e.g. drainage basin, sediment cell, ecosystem, • 3% = freshwater (most in ice/snow)
water + carbon cycles • 1.2% = surface/accessible
Inputs – material/energy entering the system from outside e.g. • Almost 13,000km3 in atmosphere (0.4%)
precipitation (w/ dissolved carbon) 4 major stores of water:
Outputs – material/energy leaving the system e.g. surface run-off 1. Cryosphere
(w/ dissolved carbon)
2. Lithosphere
Energy – power/force that moves components in a system 3. Hydrosphere
4. Atmosphere
Stores/components – stationary parts of a system e.g. trees, soil
Cryosphere:
Flows/ transfers – moving parts e.g. evaporation
• Ice sheets - where snow piles up and compresses older layers, Antarctica = 99% of
freshwater ice
Positive feedback – sequence of events that take place in a • Sea ice - increase in winter, ice shelves = platforms of ice where glaciers break off into
cycle. Final part increases start points ocean
• Ice caps
Negative – chain of events of final event reduces start point =
dynamic equilibrium • Permafrost – stores lots of greenhouse gases e.g. CO2, most formed during cold glacial
periods e.g. Quaternary glaciation + lasted through Holocene
Dynamic equilibrium – state of balance within system; usually
destroyed by human activity Lithosphere:
• Rivers, lakes, soil water, biological water, groundwater, wetlands (in all biomass)
Atmosphere:
• Groundwater aquifers = underground reservoirs of water in porous rock
• Evaporation + condensation – rate affected by amount of • Water table = depth at which rock/soil becomes saturated with water
solar energy, availability of water, humidity of air, temp. of • Over abstraction causes disturbance to dynamic
air
Hydrosphere:
• COLD AIR CANNOT HOLD AS MUCH MOISTURE
• Dew point temp. = water to liquid • 3 million years ago = 50m higher
• Needs something to condense on e.g. smoke, dust • 72% of planet’s surface
particles • Increased when cryosphere melts
, Clouds Hydrological Cycle Precipitation Causes
• If hot air rising increases = increases cloud formation • Global hydrological cycle = closed system – no 1) Water vapour cools
• Inter-tropical convergence zone = equator = lots of inputs/outputs 2) Temp. of air reaches dew
clouds that supply rainforests • Local hydrological cycle = drainage basin = open point
• Low, thick clouds reflect solar radiation system 3) Water vapour condenses
to form droplets of water
Drainage basin features:
Feedback in the water cycle • Source, confluence (where tributary meets river),
watershed, tributaries, mouth 1) At different temp. the less
Positive…
dense, warmer body of air
1) Increase sea levels rises above denser, cooler
2) Destabilise ice shelves air
3) Increase amount of ice breaking off 2) The warmer air is risen to
4) Exposed ice melts quicker higher altitude, cool air
5) Increase sea level where it condenses into
water droplets
Negative…
1) Increase temp.
2) Increase evaporation
3) Increase cloud cover
4) Increase solar radiation reflected
5) Decrease temp.
Factors effecting hydrographs
Interception Rates River Discharge
• Steep, circular drainage basin =
• Pine forest – 70%
Influences decrease
• RF – 60% Natural – Increase precipitation = • Many tributaries
• Grass – 30% increased; hot weather = evap = • Impearmeability Base Flow
• TDW – 20% decreased
• Crops – 15% • Thick vegetation = increase
Human = abstraction – removal of • Abstraction
water from river = decrease • Afforestation
,
Water Cycle Changes Deforestation
Human: 1) Decreased Interception + Evapotranspiration
2) Decreased precipitation
• Deforestation
3) Increased overland flow
• Permeable into impearmeable
4) Increased flooding
• Changing land use (farmers) e.g. drainage/crop
• Increased soil erosion = decreased river capacity = increased risk of
changes
flooding
Soil Drainage
Advantages:
• Better soil structure = increased root penetration + increased
friability
• Increased aeration = better conditions for microbes = increased rate
of decomposition of organic matter into humus + nutrients
mineralised = increased respiration
Disadvantages:
• Dry topsoil = wind erosion = increased severity than water (0.1-
2tonnes/ha/year)
• Nitrate loss = eutrophication = N + Phos in ponds = increased algae +
Water Abstraction in London plants = disturbs dynamic
• 19th + early 20th century – Basal Sands Aquifer exploited
during industrial revolution
• Peak = 1960s = 88m below sea level
• Since 60s – decreased industry = recovered 3m per year
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