2.3. How important are water and carbon to life on Earth?
1c. The water cycle has distinctive processes & pathways that operates within it 3.Water
Precipitation: (flow/process) - moisture (e.g. rain, snow, hail) falling from Transpiration: (output)- evaporation of moisture from pores on th
clouds towards the ground
It’s responsible for approx 10% of moisture in the atmosphere
Dew point = critical temp at which condensation occurs It’s influenced by temp, wind speed & water availability to plan
Catchment = area drained by a river & its tributaries of either dry or cold seasons to reduce moisture loss through tr
River discharge = vol of water flowing in a river channel measured in
cubic metre / second Condensation: - phase change of vapour to liquid water
It forms when vapour in the atmosphere cools to its dew point & Advection = horizontal movement of an air mass which often resu
condenses into tiny water droplets or ice particles to form clouds
Occurs when air is cooled to its dew point - at this criti
Eventually these droplets or ice particles aggregate, reach a critical
condensation
size & leave the cloud as precipitation
Condensation at/near ground produces dew & fog (cloud at
Precipitation also varies in character & this impacts the water cycle
large amounts of moisture on vegetation & other surfaces
at the drainage basin scale:
- Temp: most rain that reaches the ground flows quickly into Types of clouds:
streams and rivers. But in high latitude & mountainous
Cumuliform – flat bases, rounded top & lumpy appearance,
catchments, precipitation often falls as snow & may remain on
contact with the Earth’s surface
the ground for several months – there may be a considerable
- This causes heated air particles to rise freely through the
time lag between snowfall & run-off
pressure with altitude, & cool. As cooling reached the dew p
- Intensity: amount of precipitation falling in a given time. High
Stratiform (layer clouds) - develop where an air mass moves h
intensity precipitation (e.g. 10-15 mm/hour) moves rapidly
this process = advection
overland into streams & rivers
Cirrus - wispy clouds which form at high altitude, consist of ti
- Duration: length of time that a precipitation event lasts.
don’t produce precipitation – little influence on the water cycle
Prolonged events, linked to depressions & frontal systems, may
deposit exceptional amounts of precipitation & cause river
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller livcarr23. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £0.00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
