water and carbon cycle

What is frontal rainfall?

Rainfall caused when warm air rises over colder, denser air, cools, condenses, and forms clouds.

What is convectional rainfall?

Rainfall caused by heated air rising rapidly, cooling, condensing, and producing heavy rain.

What is orographic (relief) rainfall?

Rainfall when moist air is forced over mountains, cools, and condenses on the windward side.

What is precipitation?

Any water falling from the atmosphere (rain, snow, sleet, hail).

What is evaporation?

Liquid water heated and turned into water vapour.

What is transpiration?

Release of water vapour from plants

What is evapotranspiration?

Combined evaporation and transpiration

What is interception?

Water temporarily stored on vegetatio

What is infiltration?

Water soaking into soil.

What is percolation?

Water moving through rock underground.

What is surface runoff?

Water flowing over land into rivers.

What is throughflow?

Water moving horizontally through soil.

What is groundwater flow (baseflow)?

Slow movement of water through rock to rivers.

What is the water table?

Upper level of saturated ground.

Where is most water stored on Earth?

Hydrosphere (96.5%).

What is the cryosphere?

Frozen water (glaciers, ice sheets).

What is the lithosphere store?

Water stored in rocks (aquifers)

What is water surplus?

When soil is saturated and excess water leads to runoff.

What is water deficit?

When evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation.

What is field capacity?

Maximum water soil can hold.

What is recharge?

Replenishment of soil moisture.

How does heavy rainfall increase flood risk?

Saturates ground → more runoff.

How do impermeable rocks affect flooding?

Increase runoff → higher flood risk.

How do steep slopes affect flooding?

Faster runoff → flashy hydrograph.

How does urbanisation increase flood risk?

Impermeable surfaces increase runoff.

How does deforestation increase flood risk?

Reduces interception and increases runoff.

What is a hydrograph?

Graph showing river discharge over time after rainfall.

What is lag time?

Time between peak rainfall and peak discharge.

What is peak discharge?

Maximum river flow.

What is baseflow?

Normal groundwater-fed flow.

What is storm flow?

Extra water from rainfall.

What is a flashy hydrograph?

Short lag time, high peak discharge.

How does fossil fuel combustion affect carbon?

Releases large amounts of CO₂.

How does deforestation affect carbon?

Reduces carbon storage and releases CO₂.

How does agriculture contribute to climate change?

Produces methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O).

What is the largest carbon store?

Lithosphere (rocks).

What is carbon stored as in the atmosphere?

CO₂ and methane.

What is a positive feedback loop

Amplifies change (e.g. warming → more CO₂ release).

What is a negative feedback loop?

Reduces change (e.g. more CO₂ → more photosynthesis).

What is a tipping point?

Threshold triggering irreversible change.

Why is the Amazon important for the carbon cycle?

Stores ~100 billion tonnes of carbon.

How does deforestation affect the water cycle?

Reduces evapotranspiration → less rainfall.

How does deforestation affect the carbon cycle?

Releases CO₂ → turns sink into source.

What is evapotranspiration in the Amazon?

Trees releasing water vapour into atmosphere.

What is afforestation?

Planting trees to absorb CO

What is renewable energy?

Energy from natural sources (solar, wind).

What is carbon capture?

Technology that removes CO₂ from air or industry.

How does fertiliser use affect climate change?

Releases N₂O (very strong greenhouse gas).

What is regenerative agriculture?

Farming that restores soil and stores carbo

What is agroforestry?

Combining trees with crops.