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Questions and Answers
What percentage of the Earth's surface does the hydrosphere cover?
What percentage of the Earth's surface does the hydrosphere cover?
- 70% (correct)
- 80%
- 50%
- 60%
What percentage of the planet's total water do inland bodies of water represent?
What percentage of the planet's total water do inland bodies of water represent?
- 2.5% (correct)
- 1%
- 10%
- 5%
What is the main characteristic of groundwater?
What is the main characteristic of groundwater?
- It contributes to the water cycle
- It forms aquifers underground (correct)
- It is only found in polar regions
- It is always saline
What is the estimated total volume of water on the planet?
What is the estimated total volume of water on the planet?
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What percentage of the Earth's water is fit for human consumption and that of other species?
What percentage of the Earth's water is fit for human consumption and that of other species?
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Study Notes
Hydrosphere and Earth's Water
- The hydrosphere covers approximately 71% of the Earth's surface.
- Inland bodies of water, such as lakes and rivers, represent around 1.2% of the planet's total water supply.
Groundwater
- Groundwater is characterized by being stored underground in saturated zones, where soil or rock is fully permeated with water, contributing significantly to the Earth's freshwater reserves.
Volume of Water
- The estimated total volume of water on the planet is about 1.386 billion cubic kilometers (or approximately 330 million cubic miles).
Freshwater Accessibility
- Only about 2.5% of the Earth's total water is freshwater, and of this, 0.5% is readily accessible for human and ecological consumption, highlighting the critical scarcity of usable freshwater resources.
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