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Questions and Answers
What percentage of Earth's surface water is salt water found in oceans?
Why can't we drink salt water or use it to grow crops?
What percentage of Earth's water is fresh water?
Where is most of the fresh water frozen?
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What is a glacier?
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Which continent has a giant ice cap covering it?
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What percentage of Earth's fresh water is accounted for by the frozen water?
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Where is groundwater stored?
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What percentage of Earth's fresh water is groundwater?
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How is fresh water obtained from aquifers?
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What are examples of running water sources?
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What is the purpose of a reservoir?
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How are reservoirs usually created?
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Study Notes
Water Distribution on Earth
- About 97% of Earth's surface water is salt water found in oceans.
- Salt water cannot be used for drinking or growing crops because of its high salt concentration.
Fresh Water
- Only about 3% of Earth's water is fresh water.
- About 68% of the fresh water is frozen, mainly in glaciers and ice caps.
Glaciers and Ice Caps
- A glacier is a large, slowly moving river of ice and snow formed by compacted snow.
- The continent of Antarctica has a giant ice cap covering it.
Groundwater
- Groundwater is stored in aquifers, which are layers of rock that are porous and permeable.
- About 29% of Earth's fresh water is groundwater.
Obtaining Fresh Water
- Fresh water can be obtained from aquifers through drilling or digging wells.
- Examples of running water sources include rivers, streams, and lakes.
- Reservoirs are artificial lakes used to store water, usually created by building dams across rivers.
- The purpose of a reservoir is to collect and store water for various uses.
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Description
Explore the composition of Earth's hydrosphere and the distinction between salt water and fresh water. Learn about the distribution of Earth's surface water and the importance of freshwater for drinking and agriculture.
