Geography A-Level
Residence Time
What Residence Time means in Geography A-Level, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Residence Time
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The average duration that a water molecule spends in a particular store, such as the atmosphere (approx. 9 days) or deep groundwater (thousands of years).
The average time a water molecule spends in a particular store (e.g., atmosphere, ocean, groundwater), which is being altered by accelerated flux rates.
Topics that use Residence Time
- The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
Related terms
- Albedo Feedback
- Anthropogenic Modification
- Aquifer
- Clausius-Clapeyron Relationship
- Cryosphere
- Drainage Basin Dynamics
- Eustatic Sea Level Rise
- Eutrophication
Using Residence Time in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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