Hydrologic Cycle and its Human Impact

These flashcards cover important concepts and processes related to the hydrologic cycle, human impacts, and the significance of hydrology in engineering.

What is hydrology?

The science that studies the occurrence, circulation, distribution, storage, and properties of water on Earth and in the atmosphere.

What main processes does water undergo in the hydrologic cycle?

Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, percolation, and runoff.

How do human activities impact the hydrologic cycle?

Human activities like urbanization and deforestation modify natural hydrologic processes, increasing runoff and causing soil erosion.

What is the effect of urbanization on hydrologic processes?

Urbanization increases impervious surfaces, reducing infiltration and increasing surface runoff, leading to urban flooding.

What structures can modify natural flow patterns in hydrology?

Dams, irrigation systems, groundwater pumping, and river channelization.

Why is hydrology important to engineering?

Hydrology supports the design of infrastructure like bridges, dams and is fundamental for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

What does Engineering Hydrology focus on?

The application of hydrologic principles to infrastructure design.

What is Eco-hydrology?

The study of water-ecosystem interactions and pollution control.

What happens during the process of evaporation?

Water changes from a liquid to a gas due to heat from the sun.

What is condensation in the water cycle?

The process by which water vapor cools and transforms into liquid water, forming clouds.

What is precipitation?

When clouds become heavy and water falls back to the Earth as rain, snow, or hail.

What is transpiration?

The process where plants take up water from the soil and release it as vapor through their leaves.

What are the components of runoff?

Surface runoff, subsurface runoff, and groundwater runoff.