HYDROSPHERE

HYDROSPHERE

1. NATURE

   • The interconnected system of water storage in the atmosphere and lithosphere
   • Includes clouds, oceans, seas, ice caps, glaciers, lakes, rivers, underground water supplies and atmospheric water vapours

2. PROCESSES

   • Global Water Budget
     • The total amount of water available in an area: its inflows and outflows
     • Drought and floods result in variation
       • Floods
         • Slow-onset, rapid-onset and flash floods
         • A river floods when its discharge is greater than the capacity of the channel
       • Drought
         • Prolonged periods of below-average rainfall
         • Contribute to land degredation, inhibit growth of vegetation
   • The Hydrological Cycle
     • Evaporation > Transpiration > Condensation > Precipitation > Infiltration
     • No water is added and none is taken away (closed system)
       • What changes is its form, location and distribution

3. HUMAN INTERACTIONS

   • IMPACTS OF HUMAN INTERACTIONS
   • SOLUTIONS
   • Domestic
     • -Home / private use -Drinking, pools, showering
   • Agricultural
     • -Watering crops (irrigation)
   • Industrial
     • -Heating, cooling and cleaning -Power generation -Manufacturing (mining/factories)