Surface Water Hydrology and the Hydrological Cycle Quiz

Hydrological Cycle

• During the condensation stage, water vapor in the air cools and changes back into liquid water, forming clouds, fog, or dew.

Replenishing Underground Water Sources

• The primary process involved in replenishing underground water sources is infiltration, where precipitation seeps into the soil and reaches the groundwater.

Plant Water Absorption

• The stage of the water cycle involving plants absorbing water through their roots and evaporating it from their leaves back into the air is known as transpiration.

Water Budget

• A water budget tracks the inflow and outflow of water in a particular area, such as a watershed or a reservoir, to understand the overall water balance.

Initial Stage of Hydrological Cycle

• The initial stage of the hydrological cycle is evaporation, where the sun heats water in rivers, lakes, and oceans, turning it into water vapor.

Hydrograph Purpose

• The primary purpose of a hydrograph in hydrology is to visually represent the relationship between the flow rate of water in a river or stream and time.

Peak Spotting

• In hydrograph analysis, 'peak spotting' refers to identifying the highest point on the hydrograph, which represents the maximum flow rate of water.

Quick Rise on Hydrograph

• A quick rise on a hydrograph indicates that the area responds quickly to rain, suggesting that the terrain is impermeable or has a high runoff rate.

Baseflow

• 'Baseflow' on a hydrograph represents the steady, low-flow rate of water in a river or stream, which is maintained by groundwater seepage.

Hydrograph Analysis Insights

• Hydrograph analysis provides insights into the hydrological response of a watershed to rainfall, including the timing and magnitude of peak flows, the rate of runoff, and the contribution of groundwater to streamflow.