Terms
Equations
Know your units
Comparisons
Misc
100

Movement of water within the spaces of porous material due to adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension

capillary action

100

You want to know how much energy is required to increase the temperature of a substance by a certain amount

Q = mcΞ”T

100

the specific heat capacity of water

1 cal/gΒ°C

100

Latent heat and sensible heat

Latent heat is associated with PHASE, sensible heat is associated with TEMPERATURE

100

What are the two ways to change relative humidity? 

change the amount of water vapor molecules, or change the temperature

200

A land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually tooutflow pointssuch as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean

a watershed

200

You want to know how much energy is taken from the environment when a mass of water evaporates

Q = mHv

200

what is dew point

the temperature to which a air parcel would have to drop for condensation to occur

200

vapor pressure vs. saturation vapor pressure

vapor pressure is the amount of water vapor in the air, saturation vapor pressure is the amount of water vapor the air can "hold" 

200

What are the four lifting mechanisms that lead to cloud formation?

orographic uplift, convection, frontal lifting, convergence

300

the pressure exerted by the water vapor molecules in a given volume of air

actual vapor pressure (or just vapor pressure), e

300

The water budget for a control volume NOT at steady state

𝑑𝑉/𝑑𝑑= 𝑃 + π‘†π‘Šπ‘–π‘› + πΊπ‘Šπ‘–π‘› βˆ’ π‘†π‘Šπ‘œπ‘’π‘‘ βˆ’ πΊπ‘Šπ‘œπ‘’π‘‘ βˆ’πΈπ‘‡

300

Which is higher and why? PET or ET?

PET (potential evapotranspiration) because it is how much evaporation would occur if the water supply were unlimited

300

What happens with precipitation at about 0 degrees latitude versus about 30 degrees latitude and why?

Rising air at equator leads to precipitation, falling air, high pressure leads to dry conditions at 30 degrees north and south (mid-latitude deserts)
300

When does the water year start in the US and why?

October 1 - after all the snow melt, before snow begins to fall

400

What is SWE? Why is it important?

Snow water equivalent - tells you how much water will contribute to water budget

400

The water budget for a control volume at steady state

𝑃 + π‘†π‘Šπ‘–π‘› + πΊπ‘Šπ‘–π‘› = π‘†π‘Šπ‘œπ‘’π‘‘ βˆ’ πΊπ‘Šπ‘œπ‘’π‘‘ βˆ’πΈπ‘‡

400

What is head and what are its units?

Measure of energy per unit weight, units of length (m, ft, etc.)

400

The three components of head in the Bernoulli equation

elevation, velocity, pressure

400

A hose with a cross sectional area of 10 cm2 is connected to a hose with a cross sectional area of 5 cm 2. If the velocity through the wider hose is 10 cm/s, what is the velocity through the narrower hose? 

20 cm/s

500

A bar graph showing precipitation over time

hyetograph

500

You want to calculate relative humidity

Rh = e/esat

500

What is the continuity equation? What are the generic units of each term? 

Q = U * A 

Q = discharge = L3/t,

U = velocity = L/t

A = area = L2

500

How does increasing hydraulic radius affect velocity and why?

With a lower hydraulic radius (flatter channel), there is more friction, so velocity decreases.

500

What are interception, stemflow, and throughfall? 

INTERCEPTION: rainfall that is trapped on leaves or other plant surfaces, lost to evaporation before reaching the ground

THROUGHFALL: rainfall that drops through vegetation

STEMFLOW: rainfall that falls on vegetation and is directed along plant parts to the ground

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