Question

2. Define the hydrologic cycle component and indicate how they are different from each other for each case below: a) Infiltration and Percolation. b) Baseflow and Interflow. c) Evaporation, Transpiration, and Evapotranspiration.

Answer 1

Answer:

Hydrologic cycle: Hydrologic cycle is the movement of water between the biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere. Throughout the process, water changes into three states; liquid, vapor, and ice.

The components of the hydrologic cycle are:

1. Evaporation,

2. Transpiration,

3. Sublimation,

4. Condensation,

5. Precipitation,

6. Run-off,

7. Infiltration and percolation, and

8. Ground-water flow.

a) Difference between Infiltration and Percolation:

The differences between infiltration and percolation are described in the table below:

Characteristics Definition Infiltration Percolation The downward movement of water | The process of filtering infiltered through the surface of the soil is called water through soil particles and infiltration. porous materials is called percolation. It occurs closure to the surface of soil it occurs between the saturated and and near the plant's root zone. unsaturated zone of the soil. It replenishes soil moistures deficiency. It replenishes underground aquifers. Table: Differences between infiltration and percolation. Occurrence Antrozone Importance

b) Difference between baseflow and interflow:

The difference between baseflow and interflow is given in the table below:

Interflow Baseflow The lateral movement of water in the Baseflow is the portion of the stream flow that unsaturated zone that first enters a stream prioris sustained between precipitation events, fed to to becoming the ground water is called streams by delayed pathway. interflow. It is faster than Baseflow. It is slower than interflow. It occurs when water infiltrates into the It occurs above the groundwater table and the subsurface, hydraulic conductivity decreases groundwater flows below the ground water with depth, and lateral flow proceeds table. downslope. Table: Difference between interflow and Baseflow.

c) Differences between evaporation, transpiration, and evapotranspiration:

The differences between evaporation, transpiration, and evapotranspiration are described in the table below:

Evaporation Transpiration Evapotranspiration Evaporation is the process Transpiration is the process by Evapotranspiration is the during which a liquid changes which water leaves the living process by which water is into a gas (vapor) through the plant body and enters the moved into the atmosphere absorption of heat. atmosphere. through transpiration (from plants) and evaporation (from soil and other surfaces) It continues till the water is it depends upon water It depends on both the present on the surface. absorption from soil. available water on the surface as well as on the water absorption from the soil. Table: Difference between evaporation, transpiration, and evapotranspiration.