Physical Geography - Water and Carbon cycles

Acidification

The gradual reduction of pH of the oceans, due to dissolving carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

Afforestation

Planting trees and vegetation in the aim of increasing forest cover

Anticyclone

A system of high pressure, causing high temperatures and unseasonably high evaporation rates

Aquifer

A permeable rock or porous rock which stores water

Biofuel

Burning crops and vegetation for electricity and heat

Carbon capture & Storage (CCS)

The capture of carbon dioxide emissions directly from the factory, pumped into disused mines rather than being released into the atmosphere

Carbon Fluxes

The movement of carbon between stores

Carbon neutral

A process that has no addition of carbon dioxide to the environment

Carbon stores

Places where carbon accumulates for a period of time such as rocks and plant matter

Channel flow

Water flowing in a rivulet, stream or river

Choke Points

Points in the logistics of energy and fuel that are prone to restriction

Combustion

the process of burning a substance, in the presence of oxygen, to release energy

Convectional Precipitation

Solar radiation heats the air above the ground, causing it to rise, cool and condense forming precipitation

Cryosphere

The global water volume locked up within a frozen state (snow and ice)

Decomposition

The break down of matter, often by a decomposer which releases carbon dioxide through their own respiration

Depression

A system of low pressure, with fronts of precipitation where low and high pressure air masses meet

What’s a system?

Its a set of interrelated components working together

EG physical geography - drainage basin

EG human geography - factories

What components do systems have?

Inputs, outputs, stores and flows

What’s a closed system

Closed systems have transfers of energy inside the system but remain within

EG water cycle

What’s an open system

Open systems transfer both energy and matter within and into the surrounding environments

What’s dynamic equilibrium

Its a balance between inputs and outputs in a system where the stores remain the same

• if an element increases or decreases the equilibrium is upset

Not in equilibrium systems

• Most systems are not in equilibrium, meaning that inputs and outputs are not balanced

• Leading to positive or negative feedback

Positive feedback

Where the inputs and outputs move away from the equilibrium

Negative feedback

\where the effects are nullified and move towards the equilibrium

Nitrogen cycle system

80% of the air is nitrogen, our bodies don’t use the inhaled nitrogen, but our bodies need it through food to help us grow.

Most plants get the nitrogen they need through soil. Farmers add nitrogen fertiliser to help plants grow larger and faster.

Water full of nitrogen causes algae to grow very fast and then dies all at once.

The water cycle system

Water is found in: Ice caps, snow, glaciers, lakes, streams, vapour, underground, but most of it is found in the ocean

The suns energy causes water to evaporate from oceans and lakes into the atmosphere. Plants and animals also release water vapour into the atmosphere as they breathe.

When the atmosphere cools, water vapour condenses, making clouds that produce rain and snow. Water has been recycled in its different forms as ice liquid or vapour for more than 3.5 billion years

Whats the water cycle?

It’s a closed system. Water continuously cycles between the oceans, land and atmosphere creating GLOBAL HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE

The smaller hydrological cycles include drainage basins (open system)

How much water is on Earth?

326 million cubic miles

What percentage of water is useable?

• 97.5% is salter water

• 2.5% is fresh water

  • Of this 2% is stored in ice caps and glaciers

• 0.01% of fresh water is from lakes, rivers and groundwater

  • Rivers make up 0.0001%

Where is water stored?

• Oceanic water (seas and oceans)

• Cryosperic water (ice and glaciers)

• Terrestrial water (On the Earths surface)

• Atmospheric water

Global distribution of fresh ground water

• 30% of all fresh water are s