Water is the most crucial resource especially in the populated and water scarce
countries. How is water distributed on land? How does uneven distribution of
water on land affect the nations? Being a responsible citizen what efforts can we
make to reduce wastage of water and ensure its conservation? As the last part of
your discussion briefly describe the cycling of water that is responsible to keep
water balance on earth intact.
Toeling
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Answers
Water
Explanation:
⇒ How is water distributed on land? How does uneven distribution of water on land affect the nations?
Around 71% of the earth's surface is covered with water. But the distribution of water on the Earth's surface is extremely uneven. Only 3% of water on the surface is fresh; the remaining 97% resides in the ocean. Of freshwater, 69% resides in glaciers, 30% underground, and less than 1% is located in lakes, rivers, and swamps. Most of Earth’s water is salty water in the oceans. Approximately 3 percent of Earth’s water is fresh.
⇒ Being a responsible citizen what efforts can we make to reduce wastage of water and ensure its conservation?
- Turn off taps
- Reduce food wastage
- Rainwater Harvesting
- Get a low-flush toilet
- Fix leaks
⇒ Describe the process of Water Cycle
Water cycle or hydrologic cycle is a continuous process of movement of water from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere and then back to the ground. Thus, the water present on earth has been in circulation since the evolution of the earth. Water goes through all the three states, solid-liquid-gas, in the process.
The stages involved in a complete water cycle are:-
Stage I: Evaporation and Transpiration The sun’s energy heats up the lakes, rivers, oceans, swamps and other water bodies which subsequently increase the temperature of the water present in them. Consequently, some water evaporates as vapour into the air. The rising air currents take the vapour up in the sky. Simultaneously, plants and trees also lose water to the atmosphere in the form of vapour which rises up in the sky.
Stage II: Condensation As the vapours rise high, the cooler temperatures make them cool down and turn back into liquid – condensation. Wind and air currents move the moisture around, leading to the formation of clouds.
Stage III: Precipitation Wind movements cause the clouds particles to collide. As they become water laden, they develop into rain bearing clouds and fall back onto the earth’s surface by the process known as precipitation. This may occur in the form of rain, hail, snow or sleet depending upon the temperature conditions.
Stage IV: Runoff and Infiltration The precipitation either runs off into oceans, rivers and ground surface or is absorbed into the soil (infiltration).