NEET UG » NEET UG Study Material » Chemistry » Distribution Of Water In Nature

Distribution Of Water In Nature

This article is all about understanding distribution of water in nature, distribution of water in the universe, formation and evolution of the solar system.

On the surface of the Earth, the distribution of water is generally unequal. Fresh water comprises only 3% of the water on the surface; the rest 97 percent is in the ocean. Freshwater is found in glaciers 69 percent of the time, underground 30 percent of the time, and in rivers, lakes and swamps less than 1% of the time. To put it another way, only 1% of the water on the surface of the Earth is usable by humans, while 99 percent of the useful quantity is underground. Because the oceans hold 97 percent of the planet’s water, only 3% is fresh water, or water with low salt content. Greenland’s huge ice sheets and glaciers retain the majority of fresh water as ice. A reservoir is a place where water is stored, such as an glacier, ocean, pond, or even the atmosphere. A water molecule may travel through a reservoir fast or remain for an extended period of time. The residence time of a molecule in a reservoir is measured in seconds. Because the oceans hold 97 percent of the planet’s water, only 3% water is with low salt content or fresh water. Greenland’s huge ice sheets and glaciers retain the majority of fresh water as ice. A reservoir is a place where water is stored, such as an glacier, ocean, pond, or even the atmosphere. A water molecule may travel through a reservoir fast or remain for an extended period of time. The residence time of a molecule in a reservoir is measured in seconds.

 

Water Cycle

The water cycle depicts how water evaporates from the Earth’s surface, rises into the atmosphere, cools, condenses to form clouds, and then falls as precipitation back to the surface. The evaporation of water from the Earth’s surface transfers approximately 75% of the energy (or heat) in the global atmosphere. Water evaporates from the earth on land, primarily from soils, plants (transpiration), lakes, and streams. Evaporation from the Earth’s land surfaces and evapotranspiration from plants account for around 15% of the water entering the atmosphere. Evaporation cools the Earth’s surface, cools the lower atmosphere, and adds water to the atmosphere, which forms clouds. 

Earth’s Freshwater

Saltwater makes up around 97 percent of the water on our globe, whereas freshwater makes up less than 3%. The majority of the world’s freshwater is frozen in ice caps, glaciers and aquifers. Only around 1% of Earth’s water is freshwater that we can easily access to suit our requirements, and the majority of that water is replenished by precipitation, which is an important part of the water cycle that affects all living things on the planet.

Precipitation

Precipitation is any product of atmospheric water vapour condensation that falls fast from a cloud. Rain, drizzle, snow, sleet, graupel (soft hail or snow pellets), and hail are the most common types of precipitation. While precipitation is the primary source of freshwater for our daily needs, this vital natural resource is not fairly distributed across our planet. Some areas on land, such as tropical rainforests and temperate, are drenched in rain. Other areas, such as Nevada, Las Vegas, receive little rain and snow and are so dry that residents recycle water used for bathing and cleaning (known as grey water) to water their gardens.

Formation and evolution of solar system

The origin and evolution of our solar system (as well as planetary systems surrounding other stars) is one of modern science’s most complex and fascinating subjects. This major discipline of astrophysics is known as stellar-planetary cosmogony, and it is the result of a lengthy history of cosmic matter evolution. It is based on core theoretical concepts and available empirical evidence on the processes of star formation, and it is interdisciplinary in nature. Modern observational evidence on disc formation, stellar evolution and extrasolar planet discoveries, as well as mechanical and cosmochemical features of the solar system, place significant limitations on the various scenarios explored, each supporting the core cosmogony notion (as a result of the Kant-Laplace hypothesis.) In general, emergence of a primordial nebula, fragmentation of an original interstellar molecular cloud, and accretion of a protoplanetary gas-dust disc around a parent star, followed by disc instability and break-up into primary solid bodies (planetesimals) and their collisional interactions, eventually forming a planet, are the sequence of events. Due to extensive theoretical and experimental research, the discipline has made significant progress in recent decades. As a result of these advancements, a new scenario has emerged, which generally supports simultaneous stellar-planetary formation.

The inner core of a protosolar nebula collapses, resulting in fusion ignition and star birth, with an accretion disc left behind, which continues to evolve, eventually leading to protoplanets and planetary formation. The turbulent structure of gas-dust discs and their dynamics in relation to solar system genesis have been resolved in great detail thanks to astronomical data. Indeed, radio isotope dating of chondrite meteorite samples has revealed the age and timeline of critical events in the solar system’s origin. Theoretical and computer modelling of protoplanetary accretion disc heating regimes, evaporation/condensation of primordial particles depending on their radial distance, clustering mechanisms, collisions, and dynamics have also made significant advances. These breakthroughs, however, are insufficient to answer many of the issues inherent in planetary cosmogony. There have also been a slew of new questions that need to be addressed. Questions about how current natural circumstances appeared on planets in the solar system are crucial, particularly since the three neighbouring inner planets—Earth, Venus, and Mars—show different evolutionary pathways.

Conclusion

Water is a limited resource on Earth. Groundwater can be found in aquifers, therefore safeguarding it implies protecting it in various forms. On Earth, there is water. Water can be found on the surface, beneath the earth, as vapour, and as precipitation. Pollution caused by the use of fossil fuels can affect all types of water (from acid rain to crude oil leaks generated from coal burning). Acid rain falls on the ground, flows into surface water, and then back into the ground and into the atmosphere. It can be a never-ending loop. More water will be damaged when contamination spreads across the water cycle. The majority of the water on the planet is saline. Fresh water is and will continue to be in high demand, making it a very valuable resource. Overuse of potable water sources must be avoided at all costs. It is also necessary to take precautions to avoid contaminating the Earth’s waterways. Water is, without a doubt, a valuable resource.

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the NEET UG Examination Preparation.

What do you mean by Design Period?

Ans: The design period refers to the time in the future that a provision in a water delivery plan will be operation...Read full

Explain why light gauge copper tubes are used for general purpose work where the pressure is not more than 0.15 N/mm².

Ans: There are two types of copper water service pipes. There are two types of gauges: heavy gauge and light gauge. ...Read full

Define hydrologic cycle?

Ans: The earth’s water is released back into the atmosphere as vapour. This is then precipitated as rain, snow...Read full

Name the device used to measure the flow velocity across a cross-section with a known area?

Ans: In most water distribution systems, there are two types of metres. The inferential metre and the displacement m...Read full

Name some of the components of the plumbing drainage system?

Ans: Vent pipes, water closets,septic tanks, urinals, soil waste pipes, traps, and other plumbing drainage system co...Read full