Hydrological Cycle

The Hydrologic Cycle (Water Cycle)

The

path water takes as it circulates from the land to the sky and back again. Water is recycled this way so we do not run out. So every time you get a drink of water remember you are drinking the same water the dinosaurs drank.

Parts of the hydrologic cycle

Evaporation Condensation Precipitation

Evaporation

Evaporation is when the sun heats up water in rivers or lakes or the ocean and turns it into vapor or steam. The water vapor or steam leaves the river, lake or ocean and goes into the air.

Evapotranspiration

Evaporation often implicity includes transpiration from plants, though togather they are specifically refered to as Evapotranspiration. Here water given off through the pores of plants and animals joins the atmosphere as a vapor. Annual Evapotranspiration amounts approximately = 505,000 km of water From the ocean = 434,000 km.

Condensation
Water

vapor in the air gets cold and changes back into liquid, forming clouds. This is called condensation.

Precipitation
Precipitation

occurs when so much water has accumulated that the air cannot hold it anymore. The clouds get heavy and water falls back to the earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow.

Run-off

When the precipitation reaches the ground, several things can happen to it. First, it might be re-evaporated. For instance, we have all seen the mist rising off hot roads after a summer shower. If it isnt re-evaporated, much of the water will become RUNOFF that goes into streams, lakes and rivers as it flows back to the ocean.

Infiltration

Some of the precipitation will be absorbed into the ground. This is called INFILTRATION. Once in the ground, the water can join the earths ground water supply. This is one of the worlds largest store house of water. The water could also be absorbed from the ground by the roots of plants.

Reservoirs
The

largest reservoir is the collection of oceans, accounting for 97% of the Earths water. The next largest quantity(2%) is stored in solid form in ice caps and glaciers. The small amount accounts for approximately(75%) of all fresh water reserves on the planet. The water contained within all living organisms represents the smallest reservoir

Volume of water stored in the water cycle reservoirs

Reservoir Volume of water Percent of total (106km % Oceans 1370 97.25% Icecaps,glaciers 29 2.05% Ground water 9.5 0.68% Lakes 0.125 0.01% Soil moisture 0.625 0.005% Atmosphere 0.013 0.001% Streams&rivers 0.0017 0.0001% Biosphere 0.0006 0.00004%

Residence times
The

residence time of a reservoir within the Hydrological cycle is the average time a water molecule will spend in that reservoir. is a measure of the average age of the water in that reservoir, though some water will spend much less time than average, and some much more.

It

Average reservoir residence times

Reservoir Oceans Glaciers Seasonal snow cover Soil moisture Ground water-shallow Ground water-deep Lakes Rivers Atmosphere Avg residence time 3,200 years 20100 years 2-6 months 1-2 months 100-200 years 10,000 years 50-100 years 2-6 months 9 days

Effects on climate
The

water cycle is powered from solar energy. 86% of the global evaporation occurs from the oceans, reducing their temperature by evaporative cooling. Without the cooling effect of evaporation the green house effect would lead to a much higher surface temperature of 67c, and a warmer planet

Effects on Biogeochemical cycling

While

the water cycle itself a biogeochemical cycle, flow of water over and beneath the Earth is a key component of the cycling of other biogeochemical Runoff is responsible for almost all of the transport of eroded sediment and phosphorus from land to water bodies. The salinity of oceans is derived from erosion and transport of dissolved salts from the land.

Cont Cultural Eutrophication of is primarily due to phosphorus, applied in excess in agricultural fields in fertilizers, and then transported over land and down rivers.
Both

runoff and ground water flow play significant roles in transporting nitrogen from the land to water bodies also play a part in the carbon cycle, again through the transport of eroded rock and soil.

Runoff

Dont alter the water cycle

Agriculture Industry

waste Alteration of the chemical composition of the atmosphere Construction of dams Deforestation and Afforestation Removal of ground water from wells

Cont Water abstraction from rivers Urbanization Contributing to climate change Withdrawing large amount of fresh water Clearing Vegetation and underground water Polluting surface and underground water Precipitation changes worldwide Glaciers melt-loss of water source Over population Wild fires accelerate several cycles

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