Course content Course content
Water use and the water cycle
Water use and the water cycle

Start this free course now. Just create an account and sign in. Enrol and complete the course for a free statement of participation or digital badge if available.

More free courses

S278_12 Glossary

Printer-friendly version

S278_12 Glossary
Browse the glossary using this index

Special | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ALL

Page:  1  2  (Next)
  ALL

E

Evapotranspiration

The combined effects of evaporation and transpiration.

H

Humidity

A measure of how close air is to saturation with water vapour.

Hydraulic conductivity

A measure of the volume of water that will flow through a unit cross-sectional area of rock per unit time, under a unit hydraulic gradient and at a specified temperature: K in the

Darcy’s law equation.

Hydraulic gradient

The slope of a water table.

Hydrological cycle

Another name for the water cycle.

 

Hydrologically effective precipitation

The quantity of water available from underground or from rivers in an area, given by the excess of precipitation over actual evapotranspiration.

Hydrology

The study of water movement on and beneath the ground, and the physics and chemistry of water.

Hydrosphere

The parts of the Earth that are mainly composed of water.

I

Irrigation

The managed watering of crops so they can be grown in areas where they could otherwise not be grown, or to improve the yield.

 

M

Meteoric water

Fresh water derived by condensation from the atmosphere and which accumulates as surface water or underground water.

Page:  1  2  (Next)
  ALL


Take your learning further

Making the decision to study can be a big step, which is why you'll want a trusted University. The Open University has 50 years’ experience delivering flexible learning and 170,000 students are studying with us right now. Take a look at all Open University courses.

If you are new to University-level study, we offer two introductory routes to our qualifications. You could either choose to start with an Access module, or a module which allows you to count your previous learning towards an Open University qualification. Read our guide on Where to take your learning next for more information.

Not ready for formal University study? Then browse over 1000 free courses on OpenLearn and sign up to our newsletter to hear about new free courses as they are released.

Every year, thousands of students decide to study with The Open University. With over 120 qualifications, we’ve got the right course for you.

Request an Open University prospectus371