Fig. 1 is a simplified global water-cycle diagram prepared for a museum display. It shows oceans, clouds, an ice cap, rivers, groundwater and vegetation. Ar...
Question 1 Report
Fig. 1 is a simplified global water-cycle diagram prepared for a museum display. It shows oceans, clouds, an ice cap, rivers, groundwater and vegetation. Arrows are numbered 1 to 6. The display explains that the total amount of water on Earth is effectively fixed, although water is constantly transferred between stores. Visitors are asked to use the figure rather than assume that fresh water is evenly available. Arrow 4 runs from land vegetation to the air, and arrow 6 runs from a river to the ocean.
(a) Identify the process represented by arrow 4. [1]
(b) Name the process represented by arrow 6. [1]
(c) Describe the change of state represented by arrow 1. [3]
(d) Explain why the ocean is important in the global hydrological cycle. [6]
(e) Which numbered arrow represents water moving from the atmosphere to land? [2]
(f) State two reasons why water in an ice cap is less accessible than river water. [3]
(g) What term describes water held beneath the ground in Fig. 1? [2]
(h) Identify one way vegetation affects the amount of water reaching a river. [1]
Answer Details
(a) The arrow from vegetation to the atmosphere represents transpiration. [1]
(b) The arrow from the river to the ocean represents river flow, or channel flow. [1]
(c) Arrow 1 shows liquid ocean water being heated. It changes state into water vapour and rises into the atmosphere by evaporation. [3]
(d) Oceans are important because they contain the largest water store. They receive water from rivers and provide water vapour through evaporation. This vapour condenses to form clouds; clouds transport moisture, and precipitation returns water to land and oceans. [6]
(e) The arrow from the atmosphere to land is the arrow running from cloud towards the river-land area, labelled 2 in the figure. It represents precipitation. [2]
(f) Ice-cap water is less accessible because it is frozen and is often remote. It is also difficult and expensive to extract and transport, and melting may require energy. Any two. [3]
(g) Water held beneath the ground is groundwater. [2]
(h) Vegetation can intercept rainfall, so less water reaches the river quickly. Roots promoting infiltration and transpiration are also valid effects. [1]
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