Summarization regarding the location where most of the Earth’s total water resides.
Answer to Problem 1BYL
The majority of water is present in the ocean. However, it is saline. Most of the fresh water is locked up in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers (69%), and groundwater (30%) beneath the surface. The lesser quantities occur in the streams, lakes, swamps, and other wetlands (11%). Some scientists believe that the Earth’s interior contains more water than the oceans. Minor quantities are present as atmospheric water (0.001%), soil moisture, and biological water (0.0001%).
Explanation of Solution
There is abundant quantity of water on the Earth that exists in various settings. The majority of the water is present in the oceans. However, it is saline. Most of the fresh water is present in snow and ice or in groundwater beneath the surface with a small quantity in wetlands, lakes, and streams.
Oceans—The Earth’s total inventory of near-surface and surface water estimates to about 96.5%, and it exists in the seas and oceans as saline water, whereas the rest 3.5% is fresh water present in glaciers, ice sheets, lakes, groundwater, swamps, and other features on the surface.
Streams—Streams are extremely important and are the principal sources of drinking water for several regions. However, they only consist of a very small quantity of the fresh water present in the Earth.
Lakes—Water on the surface of the Earth exists in the form of lakes of different sizes. Most of them are freshwater lakes, but those in dry climates are saline or brackish (between fresh and saline). Majority of the liquid fresh water in liquid form on the Earth’s surface occurs in lakes.
Swamps and other wetlands—These saturated areas are composed of water lying on the surface in shallow soil and water within the plants. They comprise approximately 11% of the liquid fresh water on the surface.
Atmosphere—The atmosphere contains a very small but an extremely important quantity (0.001%) of the Earth’s water. It occurs as water droplets in clouds, as water vapor, as snow, as rain, and as other kinds of precipitation.
Glaciers—Approximately 69% of the fresh water on the Earth is locked up as ice and snow in glaciers, ice caps, and permanent snow. A small quantity also occurs in ground ice and permafrost.
Soil moisture—The Earth’s soils are composed of almost the same amount of moisture as the atmosphere (not much). However, like atmospheric water, soil moisture is critical for survival.
Biological water—Water is locked up inside the cells and structures of flora and fauna. It is obviously important for living beings. However, it denotes an extremely small proportion of the total water of the Earth (0.0001%).
Groundwater—Nearly 30% of the total fresh water of the Earth exists as groundwater. The water existing in the open pores between sediment grains or within fractures in the rocks below the Earth’s surface is called groundwater. Most of the groundwater is fresh, but some are saline or brackish.
Deep-interior waters—An unknown, but perhaps huge quantity of water is chemically bound in the minerals of the mantle and crust. Some researchers assume that the Earth’s interior might contain more amount of water than the oceans.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 17 Solutions
PRINT UPGRADE-EXPLORING GEOLOGY
- A 40-cm circular PPC pile is driven to a depth of 20 meters in the soil conditions shown below. Calculate the (a) shaft resistance in the clay layer using the alpha method and the (b) shaft resistance in the sand layer using the beta method. Depth (m) 14 20 30 Stiff Clay y = 19.8 kN/m³ Su = 130 kPa a = 0.58 20- Dense Sand y = 18.8 kN/m³ Q=35º 8 = 2/34arrow_forwardFigure 12.7: A. B.arrow_forwardA. B. C. D. E.arrow_forward
- A) List and describe the six stages that led to the formation of Earth. 1. Nebular stage Gravity caused collapse of a rotating mass of dust and gas. 2. A star forms 3. Planetesimals form 4. The Sun ignites 5. Inner planets 6. Outer planets B) What does the presence of banded iron formation tell us about conditions in the early atmosphere and oceans? (Short answer , couple of sentences) C)What does the sediment core from Walvis Ridge, southern Atlantic Ocean, from 55-56 million years ago tell us about past climate? (Short answer , couple of sentences )arrow_forwardA) List three things that can be measured from annual layers of ice cores. 1 2 3.arrow_forward1. Use the descriptions of shoreline features provided above to label the structures in Figures 12.5 and 12.6. The same feature may appear more than once. 2. Next to each of the features listed below, indicate whether it is the result of erosional or depositional processes.Sea stack: Wave-cut cliff:Spit:Barrier island:Baymouth bar:Marine terrace:arrow_forward
- Activity 12.5B: Identifying Shoreline Features on a Topographic Map Pg 209The area shown on the Point Reyes, California, topographic map is located directly to the southwest of the San Andreas Fault, in a very tectonically active region (Figure 12.10). As a result, some of this region has recently been uplifted and exhibits characteristics of an emergent coastline. On the other hand, because of the general rise in sea level over the past several thousand years, other areas exhibit features associated with submergent coastlines. Refer to this topographic map to complete the following. 1. What type of shoreline feature is Drakes Estero (located near the center of the map)? 2. Point Reyes, located in the bottom-left corner of the map, is a headland undergoing severe wave erosion. What type of feature is Chimney Rock, located off the shore of Point Reyes? 3. Several depositional features near Drakes Estero are related to the movement of sediment by longshore currents. What type of…arrow_forwardActivity 12.3: Wave Refraction Pgs 202-203Figure 12.2 is a map view of a headland along a coastline. The water depths are shown by blue contour lines. As you complete the following questions, assume that waves with a wavelength of 60 feet are approaching the shoreline from the bottom left of the figure. 1. At approximately what water depth-10, 20, 30, or 40 feet-will the approaching waves begin to touch bottom and slow down? (Hint: Recall that this occurs when the water depth is one-half the wavelength.) 2. Using the wave shown in Figure 12.2 as a starting point, sketch a series of lines to illustrate the wave refraction that will occur as the wave approaches the shore by following these steps:Step 1: Mark the position on the 30-foot contour line where the wave front will first touch bottom.Step 2: Knowing that the section of the wave that touches bottom will slow down first, sketch the shape of the wave front when it reaches the 20-foot contour line.Step 3: Using the same…arrow_forwardCan trace and tell me how they did itarrow_forward
- Can someone show me how they would trace thisarrow_forwardI need help with this part E.arrow_forwardDiscussion Question: Ecosystems Essentials A+ shof 1000 Exo-spil The Human Denominator Assignment As we learn about how the earth works, we learn to identify the different earth spheres and how they overlap and affect one another. An understanding of the Earth's systems and spheres takes practice. More importantly, we can see the "Domino Effect" of the spheres as they interact with one another. We have learned that while endogenic processes are separate from exogenic process, the lithosphere affects the atmosphere which affects the hydrosphere, and thearrow_forward
Applications and Investigations in Earth Science ...Earth ScienceISBN:9780134746241Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. TasaPublisher:PEARSON
Exercises for Weather & Climate (9th Edition)Earth ScienceISBN:9780134041360Author:Greg CarbonePublisher:PEARSON
Environmental ScienceEarth ScienceISBN:9781260153125Author:William P Cunningham Prof., Mary Ann Cunningham ProfessorPublisher:McGraw-Hill Education
Earth Science (15th Edition)Earth ScienceISBN:9780134543536Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. TasaPublisher:PEARSON
Environmental Science (MindTap Course List)Earth ScienceISBN:9781337569613Author:G. Tyler Miller, Scott SpoolmanPublisher:Cengage Learning
Physical GeologyEarth ScienceISBN:9781259916823Author:Plummer, Charles C., CARLSON, Diane H., Hammersley, LisaPublisher:Mcgraw-hill Education,