An in-depth set of notes for A-Level Physical Geography- Water and Carbon cycle topic. Notes include case studies and examples. I achieved A* in the 2022 A-Levels using these notes, it includes everything on the specification.
,3.1.1.1 Water and carbon cycles as natural systems
NATURAL SYSTEMS
Parts of a system:
Types of Systems:
• Inputs: when matter or energy is added to the system
• Outputs: when matter or energy leaves the system
• Stores: where matter or energy builds up
• Flows: when matter or energy moves from one store to another
• Boundaries: the limits of the system
Systems are affected by feedback
A system is usually in equilibrium but
changes can trigger positive or negative
Different systems on Earth:
feedback:
• Cryosphere: includes all the parts of the Earths system wher
enough for water to freeze
Positive Negative
• Lithosphere: the outermost part of the Earth, it includes the
Amplify the change in Counteract the change the upper parts of the mantle
the inputs or outputs in the inputs of outputs • Biosphere: part of the Earth’s system where living things arou
The system responds by The system responds by • Hydrosphere: includes all the water on Earth. It can be liquid
increasing the effects of decreasing the effects of gas. It can also be saline or fresh.
the change,moving the the change, keeping it • Atmosphere: this is the layer of gas between the Earth’s surfa
system further from its closer to its previous space
previous state state.
,3.1.1.1 Water and carbon cycles as
natural systems THE WATER CYCLE
• Oceanic water:The oceans dominate the amount of available water, the exact amount is between 1,3
to 1,370,000,000km3.They cover approximately 72% of the planet’s surface.
• Cryospheric water:- Sea ice: Most of the Arctic Ocean is frozen, the amount of which grows and shr
summer.The same is true if the waters surrounding Antarctica. Sea ice does not raise sea level when
it forms from ocean water.
- Ice shelves: These are platforms of ice that form where ice sheets and glaciers move out into the oce
shelves exist mostly in Antarctica and Greenland, as well as in the Arctic near Canada and Alaska.
- Ice sheets: An ice sheet is a mass of glacial land ice extending more than 50,000km3.The two major i
Earth today cover most of Greenland and Antarctica.Together, the Antarctica and Greenland ice shee
more than 99% of the freshwater ice on Earth. Ice sheets contain quantities of frozen of water: If the
Ice sheet melts, the sea level will rise about 6m and if the Antarctia ice sheet melts, the sea level will
60m.
- Alpine glaciers:These are thick masses of ice found in deep valleys or in upland hollows. Most valley g
fed by ice from ice caps or smaller corrie glaciers.
- Permafrost:This is defined as ground that remains at or below 0C for at least 2 consecutive years.Th
of permafrost varies from less than one metre to more than 1,500m. Most of the permafrost existing
formed during cold glacial periods and has persisted through warmer interglacial periods. The perma
begun to melt as climate warms.
, 3.1.1.2 The water cycle
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION AND SIZE OF MAJOR
STORES OF WATER
LITHOSPHERE HYDROSPHERE CRYOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE
• This storage also • This storage accounts • This storage accounts • This storage accounts
accounts for 1.7% of all for 96.5% of all water for 1.7% of all water on for 0.001% of water on
water on earth. on earth. earth. earth.
• Some water is stored in • Processes impacting • Processes impacting • Water is removed from
underground aquifers upon this store include upon the store include water surfaces through
runoff and precipitation (as snow) evaporation and is then
• Some water is stored precipitation, inputting and outputs include ice stored temporarily as
within bedding planes, water to the store and melt. water vapour and
joints and pores in evaporation moving condensation before
rocks and can remain water from the ocean • Major stores include being released back to
there for hundreds of into the atmosphere the Antarctic and earth as precipitation
years. Greenland ice sheets,
polar sea ice and
mountain glaciers.
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