Water

• What percentage of global water is contained in oceans?

  97%
• What percentage of global water stores is freshwater?

  1. 5%
• What percentage of freshwater is found in glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets?

  69%
• What percentage of freshwater is groundwater?

  30%
• What percentage of global water stores is surface and other freshwater?

  1%
• What makes up other surface and freshwater?

  Permafrost, lakes, swamps, marshes, rivers
• What percentage of solar radiation is reflected in polar regions?

  85%
• What effect does permafrost have on surfaces?

  Creates impermeable surfaces
• What happens to lakes and rivers in polar regions?

  They freeze
• What occurs during rapid runoff in spring?

  Snow and ice melt quickly
• What gases are released seasonally into the atmosphere in polar regions?

  Biogenic gases
• What types of precipitation occur in polar regions?

  Orographic and frontal precipitation
• How much precipitation is consumed by dense vegetation in tropical rainforests?

  75%
• What is the effect of deforestation on evapotranspiration and precipitation?

  Leads to less evapotranspiration and precipitation
• What type of rainfall is common in tropical rainforests?

  Convectional rainfall
• What are the climate characteristics of tropical rainforests?

  Very high temperatures and very humid
• What is the residence time of water in oceans?

  3600 years
• What is the residence time of water in ice caps?

  15,000 years
• What is the residence time of groundwater?

  10,000 years
• What is the residence time of rivers and lakes?

  2 weeks to 10 years
• What is the residence time of soil moisture?

  1. 50 weeks
• What is the residence time of atmospheric moisture?

  10 days
• What are the six cells of circulating air that control the Earth's climate?

  Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells
• Where does air rise in the Hadley Cell?

  At The Doldrums
• What happens when air from the Hadley Cell meets the Ferrel Cell?

  Precipitation tends to occur
• What happens to air in the Polar Cell?

  Cold air sinks and forms precipitation
• What is the role of the Ferrel Cell?

  Determines air circulation between Hadley and Polar cells
• What is a drainage basin?

  • An area of land drained by a river and its tributaries
  • Defined by a boundary known as the watershed
  • Composed of hills and mountains
• How is the water cycle described on a local scale?

  As an open system
• How is the water cycle described on a global scale?

  As a closed system
• What causes precipitation?

  Cooling and condensation of water moisture
• What are the primary factors affecting precipitation volume?

  Seasonality, variability, and latitude
• What is secular variability in precipitation?

  Long-term changes due to climate trends
• What is periodic variability in precipitation?

  Annual, seasonal, or monthly changes
• What is stochastic variability in precipitation?

  Random factors like localized thunderstorms
• How does latitude affect precipitation?

  Higher latitudes have colder climates
• What are the types of rainfall?

  • Convectional
  • Frontal/Cyclonic
  • Relief/Orographic
• How does convectional rainfall occur?

  Ground heats air, causing moisture to rise
• What is frontal/cyclonic rainfall?

  Occurs when two air masses meet
• What is relief/orographic rainfall?

  Occurs when moist air rises over hills