Use Figures 34.5C and 34.18 to predict how global warming (rapid increase in Earth's average temperature; see Module 7.14) might affect the water cycle.
<IMAGE>

Verified step by step guidance

1. Examine Figures 34.5C and 34.18 to understand the components of the water cycle, such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff, and how they interact with Earth's climate systems.
2. Consider how global warming, as described in Module 7.14, leads to an increase in Earth's average temperature, which can intensify evaporation rates from bodies of water and soil due to higher temperatures.
3. Analyze how increased evaporation might lead to greater moisture in the atmosphere, potentially altering patterns of condensation and precipitation, such as more frequent or intense rainfall in some regions and droughts in others.
4. Evaluate the impact of altered precipitation patterns on runoff and groundwater recharge, considering how changes in temperature and precipitation might affect the distribution and availability of freshwater resources.
5. Predict how these changes in the water cycle could create feedback loops, such as increased cloud cover affecting solar radiation or altered ocean currents influencing global climate patterns, and discuss the broader ecological and societal implications.

Key Concepts

Global Warming

Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases. This phenomenon leads to various environmental changes, including altered weather patterns, melting ice caps, and rising sea levels, which can significantly impact ecosystems and the water cycle.

Water Cycle

The water cycle, or hydrological cycle, is the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere, involving processes such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration. Changes in temperature and weather patterns due to global warming can disrupt this cycle, leading to increased evaporation rates, altered precipitation patterns, and changes in water availability.

Feedback Mechanisms

Feedback mechanisms are processes that can amplify or dampen the effects of climate change. In the context of global warming and the water cycle, positive feedback can occur when increased temperatures lead to more evaporation, which in turn can enhance greenhouse gas concentrations and further raise temperatures, creating a cycle of intensifying effects on the environment.