Thesis on "Earth Science and Society Water Budget"

Thesis 4 pages (1068 words) Sources: 2 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Earth Science and Society

Water Budget

The water budget of a particular area can differ greatly depending on a number of factors. Climate, geographical location, altitude, and soil density can all have major impacts on the water budgets of specific areas. Precipitation is the primary source of acquiring water; "Precipitation in the form of rain, snow, hail, etc. makes up the primarily supply of water to the surface," (Ritter 2006). Thus, the climates of individual areas have a huge role in the amount of precipitation seen. Climate also rules over evaporation, and "Actual evapotranspiration increases as temperature increases, so long as there is water to evaporate and for plants to transpire," (Ritter 2006). However, climate, as determined by geographical location, is not the only factor. The actual constitution of soul in particular areas will influence how much water that area can hold. According to research, "The amount of water in the soil depends soil properties like soil texture and organic matter content," (Ritter 2006). Land takes up about 2.4% of the held water on earth (University of Illinois 2010). This, the soil in each area also plays a key role not only in the construction of the water budget, but also how much water will be evaporated. There are a number of different soil formulations, based on the resources and materials which are around the area. These different formulations then hold water in different levels; "Different surfaces hold different amounts of water and absorb water at different rates," (University of Illinois 2010). With this in mind, specific geographical locations can be analyzed in comparison based on these fundamental elements.

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