The World's Water Supply Is Contained In A Closed System - The Hydrological Cycle
Overview
Water is constantly moving between the oceans, atmosphere, land and ice in a vast recycling system that has no beginning or end. This continuous movement, the hydrological cycle, drives the rivers, shapes the valleys and sustains every ecosystem on Earth.
In this lesson you will trace water through its stores and transfers, explore how drainage basins collect and channel precipitation, and learn to read storm hydrographs, a skill that Edexcel tests regularly on Papers 1 and 2.
Objectives
- The hydrological cycle: characteristics, stores and transfers
- Features of a drainage basin: source, watershed, channel network, mouth
- Factors affecting river regimes: precipitation, including storm hydrographs, temperature, vegetation, land use, water abstraction, dams
Mind map
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Flashcards
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on The World's Water Supply Is Contained In A Closed System - The Hydrological Cycle. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- The hydrological cycle is best described as: A) An open system with external inputs and outputs B) A closed system where water is continuously recycled C) A system that produces new water through volcanic activity D) A linear process from oceans to rivers Answer: B
- Which store holds the largest proportion of Earth's water? A) Ice caps and glaciers B) Groundwater C) Oceans D) Rivers and lakes Answer: C
- What is the transfer called when water moves from the soil into the underlying rock? A) Infiltration B) Throughflow C) Percolation D) Surface runoff Answer: C
- On a storm hydrograph, lag time is measured between: A) The start of rainfall and the end of rainfall B) Peak rainfall and peak discharge C) Base flow and peak discharge D) The rising limb and the falling limb Answer: B
- Which factor is most likely to produce a short lag time and a high peak discharge? A) Dense woodland on permeable sandstone B) Gentle slopes with thick soil C) Urbanised catchment on impermeable clay D) Flat marshland with deep peat Answer: C
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