The distribution of the water in very uneven. The oceans hold 97% of all the water on the planet, this water is not beneficial to humans because we can not drink saltwater. The other 3% of the water is fresh water which is very valuable resource do to it keeps us living. Of all the fresh water in the world, 69% of it is formed into glaciers, 30% of the water is under ground making it hard to access the last 1% of fresh water is above ground in river, swamp and lakes.
Hydrologic cycleEvaporation: This starts the hydrologic cycle. The sun heats up the water causing the molecules on top to energize and start to leave the attracting force that is keeping them together. Then the molecules start to evaporate and turn into invisible vapour in the atmosphere. Condensation: As water vapour rises it cools and condenses usually on dust particles in the atmosphere. Once it condenses it turns into a liquid or straight to a solid (snow, hail, ice). The water particles then form clouds. Precipitation: This is the form of rain, hail or snow coming down from clouds. clouds are moved all around the world by wind. When clouds rise above mountains the get so cool that the making them so saturated with water the water comes down inn either rain, snow or hail depending on how cold the air is. Runoff: Excess water or snowmelt can cause overland flow to creeks, rivers and ditches. Runoff is a visible above ground flow off water across the earth to where the water is stored. Percolation: This is when some of the precipitation and snow melt moves downward into cracks and pores of rocks and soil moving to the water table underground. Groundwater: Water is held is cracks and pores of the ground. Depending on geology the ground water can flow into underground streams. Water Table: The water table is where water stands still in a shallow well. |
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