Not only do the oceans provide evaporated water to the water cycle, they also allow water to move all around the globe as ocean currents. Oceans are the storehouses of water nature uses to run the water cycle. Water is always changing states between liquid, vapor, and ice, with these processes happening in the blink of an eye and over. The U. It is available in over 30 languages and also in an interactive version made for online. We also offer three age-related versions of an interactive versions.
Earth's water is always in motion, and the natural water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. Skip to main content. Search Search. Water Science School. How Much Water is There on Earth? Where is Earth's Water?
Learn more. The Water Cycle Learn more. Water Basics by Topic Learn more. All Earth's water, liquid fresh water, and water in lakes and rivers.
Learn more at the Water Science School. Related Water Science School pages:. Date published: June 6, Filter Total Items: 5. Year Select Year Apply Filter. Date published: November 6, Note: This section of the Water Science School The rest of the water on the planet is either floating in the air as clouds and water vapor, or is locked up in plants and animals your body is 65 percent water, so if you weigh pounds, 65 pounds of you is water!
With all the soda pop, milk and orange juice you see at the store and in your refrigerator , there's probably several billion gallons of water sitting on a shelf at any one time! There are 1, lakes in the United States. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. That's 65 glasses of water every day for a year. There are about 10 million acres of lawn in the U. That's enough to give every person in the world a shower for four days in a row.
Most lawns only need an inch of water each week. A spilled gallon of gasoline can pollute , gallons of water. When flowing water travels to an area of land that is completely surrounded by higher land, a lake is formed. The water is not trapped in this low area, the water just escapes at a slower rate than the rate of incoming water.
Lakes can vary greatly in area, depth, and water type. Most lakes are fresh water, however some, such as the Great Salt Lake and the Dead Sea, are salt water. Contrary to common belief, a reservoir is not the same as a lake. A reservoir is a manmade lake caused by a river being dammed. The water in a reservoir is very slow moving compared to the river. Therefore, the majority of the sediments that the river was carrying settle to the bottom of the reservoir. A reservoir will eventually fill up with sediment and mud and become unusable.
The hydrologic cycle or water cycle is a graphic representation of how water is recycled through the environment.
Water molecules remain constant, though they may change between solid, liquid, and gas forms. Drops of water in the ocean evaporate, which is the process of liquid water becoming water vapor. Evaporation can occur from water surfaces, land surfaces, and snow fields into the air as water vapor. Moisture in the air can condensate, which is the process of water vapor in the air turning into liquid water.
Water drops on the outside of a cold glass of water are condensed water. Condensation is the opposite process of evaporation. Water vapor condenses on tiny particles of dust, smoke, and salt crystals to become part of a cloud. After a while, the water droplets combine with other droplets and fall to Earth in the form of precipitation rain, snow, hail, sleet, dew, and frost. Once the precipitation has fallen to Earth, it may go into an aquifer as groundwater or the drop may stay above ground as surface water.
The hydrologic cycle is an important concept to understand. Water has so many uses on Earth, such as human and animal consumption, power production, and industrial and agricultural needs.
Precipitation—in the form of rain and snow—also is an important thing to understand. It is the main way that the water in the skies comes down to Earth, where it fills the lakes and rivers, recharges the underground aquifers, and provides drinks to plants and animals.
Different amounts of precipitation fall on different areas of the Earth at different rates and at various times of the year. One problem facing the cycle of water on Earth is water contamination. Chemicals that go into the water often are very difficult, if not impossible, to remove. One potential source of contamination of water is runoff, the overland flow of water.
While precipitation causes the runoff to occur, stripping vegetation from land can add to the runoff in a particular area. The sediment and soil from these areas, not to mention any pesticides or fertilizers that are present, are washed into the streams, oceans, and lakes. What happens to the rain after it falls depends on many factors, such as the intensity and duration of rainfall, the topography of the land, soil conditions, amount of urbanization, and density of vegetation.
A common misconception about rain that it is tear-shaped, when in actuality it is shaped more like a hamburger bun. Rain drops also are different sizes, due to the initial difference in particle size and the different rate of coalescence. Glaciers and icecaps are referred to as storehouses for fresh water. They cover 10 percent of the world's land mass. These glaciers are primarily located in Greenland and Antarctica. The glaciers in Greenland almost cover the entire land mass.
Glaciers begin forming because of snowfall accumulation. When snowfall exceeds the rate of melting in a certain area, glaciers begin to form. This melting occurs in the summer. The weight of snow accumulating compresses the snow to form ice. Because these glaciers are so heavy, they can slowly move their way down hills. Glaciers affect the topography of the land in some areas. Ancient glaciers formed lakes and valleys. The Great Lakes are an example of this.
Glaciers range in length from less than the size of a football field to hundreds of miles long. They also can reach up to 2 miles thick. Glaciers melting can have a tremendous effect on the sea level. If all of the glaciers were to melt today, the sea would rise an estimated feet, according to the USGS.
0コメント