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What is the hydrologic cycle?
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The hydrologic cycle is the cycle through which water in the hydrosphere moves.
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What are the main reservoirs and the directions and relative magnitudes of the fluxes between these reservoirs?
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Main reservoirs are oceans, clouds (atmosphere), glaciers, ground water and lakes and streams; greatest fluxes are from the ocean to the atmosphere
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What is residence time?
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Residence time
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How is
residence time calculated?
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Residence time = size of reservoir / rate of influx- average time of water molecule to exist in the ocean and then go back into condensation is 34 years
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What is the largest reservoir of water on Earth?
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Largest reservoir of water on earth is oceans
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What is the largest reservoir of unfrozen freshwater?
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Largest of unfrozen freshwater is ground water
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What is a stream?
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A stream is flowing water in a channel
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What is a drainage basin?
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A drainage basin is the region in which surface water drains into a particular stream
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What is discharge
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A discharge is the amount (volume) of water flowing past a given point over a particular time interval
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How is
discharge calculated?
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Cubic feet per second (CFS) Q=VA – q is discharge v is velocity a is area
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What is alluvium?
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Alluvium is general term for particulate stream sediment
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What is the main factor in determining how much sediment a stream can carry?
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The main factor in determining how much sediment a stream can carry is stream capacityThis depends on discharge and amount of sediment available
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What are the three ways in which erosion occurs in streams?
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Hydraulic Action: the friction of moving water loosens rock fragments and soil from the sides and base of the stream channelAbrasion: the grinding of sediment particles that wares them down and enlarges the stream channelDissolution: chemical attack on minerals in sediments and stream channel- places ions in solution
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What is the gradient of a stream?
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The gradient of a stream is the slope of a stream channel
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How does it change over the length of a typical stream,
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The gradient near the source It is usually a steeper slope and as the stream continues on it gets less steep and carries smaller sediment
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