Name: JOHN CARLO T.
MEMPIN Score: _______
Course/Section: BSABE 4-4
Date: SEPTEMBER 17, 2022
Schedule (Day/Time): TUESDAY (10:00 AM-1:00 PM) LAB A
ABEN 3410
Laboratory Exercise #1
Climate Change and the Hydrologic Cycle
INTRODUCTION
Climate change refers to a long-term shift in the average conditions of a region, such as temperature
and rainfall. For example, glaciers blanketed much of the United States 20,000 years ago. Today's
climate in the United States is warmer, with fewer glaciers. Global climate change refers to long-
term average changes over the entire planet. Warming temperatures and precipitation changes are
examples, as are the repercussions of global warming, such as rising sea levels, shrinking mountain
glaciers, ice melting at a quicker rate than typical in Greenland, Antarctica, and the Arctic, and
changes in flower and plant blooming dates. Even before humans arrived on the scene, the Earth's
climate was continually shifting.
After completing this exercise, the student is expected to:
1. Familiarize themselves with the current trend in climate.
2. Have some basic knowledge regarding the selected elements of hydrologic cycle.
3. Have some basic knowledge regarding the relationship between some basic
quantities/variables in hydrometeorology.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
1. With the knowledge you gained from the previous discussion regarding
hydrologic cycle and with the help of the internet, define the following. Write
your answers in Table 1.
•climate change
•temperature
•water holding capacity
•precipitation
•rainfall rate
•infiltration
•infiltration rate
•infiltration capacity
•evapotranspiration
•surface runoff
2. Answer the guide questions.
RESULTS
Table 1. Definitions
Quantities/Variables Definitions
climate change -Climate change refers to significant, long-term changes in the
global climate.
temperature -Temperature is the degree of hotness or coldness of an object.
pressure -Pressure is the perpendicular or normal force applied per unit
area to a surface.
water holding capacity - Water holding capacity (WHC) is the ability of food to hold its
own or added water during the application of force, pressure,
centrifugation, or heating.
precipitation - Precipitation is any liquid or frozen water that forms in the
atmosphere and falls to the Earth. It is one of the three main
steps of the global water cycle.
rainfall rate - A measure of the intensity of rainfall by calculating the amount
of rain that would fall over a given interval of time if the rainfall
intensity were constant over that time period.
infiltration - Infiltration is the process of molten paraffin or paraffin-like
materials replacing the clearing reagent in the tissues.
infiltration rate - infiltration rate is the velocity or speed at which water enters
into the soil. It is usually measured by the depth (in mm) of the
water layer that can enter the soil in one hour.
infiltration capacity - The infiltration capacity is the maximum rate at which water can
be absorbed by a given soil per unit area under given conditions.
evapotranspiration - Evapotranspiration (ET) comprising both transpiration and soil
evaporation is thus a passive process driven by energy and VPD,
and limited by the water available in soil, implying that both crops
and natural vegetation use more water where VPD is greater.
surface runoff - Surface runoff is water, from rain, snowmelt, or other sources,
that flows over the land surface, and is a major component of the
water cycle.
GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. How does the currently reported climate change affect temperature? ‣ The
climate crisis is not a looming threat, people are now living with the consequences
of centuries of greenhouse gas emissions. A failure to act urgently now will mean
a reverse in development gains for the poorest and most vulnerable people in
society, an erosion of biodiversity, increasing difficulties in providing food and
shelter, as well as the potential loss of entire countries due to the impacts of
climate change.
2. How does temperature relate to the water holding capacity of air? ‣ The
temperature of air dictates the amount of water it can hold. The water holding
capacity of air increases as temperature increases. The relative humidity is the
percentage of water vapor present in the air compared to the amount of water the
air could actually hold.
3. How does temperature relate to evapotranspiration?
‣ As temperature increases, the rate of evapotranspiration increases. Evaporation
increases because there is a higher amount of energy available to convert the
liquid water to water vapor. Transpiration increases because at warmer
temperatures plants open up their stomata and release more water vapor.
4. Compare/contrast the following quantities from each other:
•rainfall rate and infiltration capacity
‣ In hydrology and soil science, "infiltration" means that water moves through a
surface, like soil or permeable pavement. As others have said, the infiltration rate
is the rate of infiltration, which is measured in millimeters per hour or a similar
unit. Infiltration capacity is the maximum rate at which water will soak into the
ground when the rate is not limited by the amount of water available (rainfall or
irrigation). If the rate of rain is less than the rate of infiltration, then the rate of
infiltration will equal the rate of rain. If the rate of rain is higher than the rate of
water absorption, then the rate of water absorption will be the same as the rate of
water absorption. The "excess rainfall" (rainfall rate minus infiltration rate) will be
turned into a runoff.
•rainfall rate and infiltration rate
‣ The larger the rainfall intensity, the higher the initial and steady infiltration
rates were, and the cumulative infiltration increased faster with time. Moreover,
the larger the rainfall intensity, the smaller the wetting front difference was at the
top and the end of the slope.
•infiltration capacity and infiltration rate
‣ Infiltration rate is the rate at which the water actually infiltrates through the
soil during a storm and it must be equal the infiltration capacities or the rainfall
rate, which ever is lesser. Infiltration capacity the maximum rate at which a soil in
any given condition is capable of absorbing water.
5. Explain how an increase in temperature can lead to flooding.
‣A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. In fact, for every degree of
warming the atmosphere can hold around 7% more moisture. More moisture can
then mean that more rainfall comes in short, intense downpours. This can
increase the risk of flash flooding.
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