Each of the spheres of the planet has its own characteristic features. None of them have been fully studied yet, despite the fact that research is ongoing. The hydrosphere, the watery shell of the planet, is of great interest both for scientists and for simply curious people who want to study more deeply the processes occurring on Earth.
Water is the basis of all life, it is a powerful means of transport, an excellent solvent and a truly endless storehouse of food and mineral resources.
What does the hydrosphere consist of?
The hydrosphere includes all water that is not chemically bound and regardless of the state of aggregation (liquid, vapor, frozen) it is in. The general type of classification of parts of the hydrosphere looks like this:
World ocean
This is the main, most significant part of the hydrosphere. The totality of the oceans is a water shell that is not continuous. It is divided by islands and continents. The waters of the World Ocean are characterized by their general salt composition. Includes four main oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic and Indian oceans. Some sources also identify a fifth, the Southern Ocean.
The study of the World Ocean began many centuries ago. The first explorers are considered to be the navigators James Cook and Ferdinand Magellan. It was thanks to these travelers that European scientists received invaluable information about the scale of the water space and the outlines and sizes of the continents.
The oceanosphere makes up approximately 96% of the world's oceans and has a fairly homogeneous salt composition. Fresh water also enters the oceans, but their share is small - only about half a million cubic kilometers. These waters enter the oceans with precipitation and river runoff. The small amount of incoming fresh water determines the constancy of the salt composition in ocean waters.
Continental waters
Continental waters (also called surface waters) are those that are temporarily or permanently located in bodies of water located on the surface of the globe. These include all water flowing and collecting on the surface of the earth:
- swamps;
- rivers;
- seas;
- other drains and bodies of water (for example, reservoirs).
Surface waters are divided into fresh and salty, and are the opposite of groundwater.
Groundwater
All water located in the earth's crust (in rocks) is called. They can be in gaseous, solid or liquid state. Groundwater makes up a significant part of the planet's water reserves. Their total is 60 million cubic kilometers. Groundwater is classified according to its depth. They are:
- mineral
- artesian
- ground
- interstratal
- soil
Mineral waters are waters that contain trace elements and dissolved salt.
Artesian water is pressurized underground water located between aquifer layers in rocks. They are classified as minerals and usually occur at a depth of 100 meters to one kilometer.
Groundwater is called gravitational water located in the upper, closest to the surface, waterproof layer. This type of groundwater has a free surface and usually does not have a continuous roof of rock.
Interstratal waters are low-lying waters located between layers.
Soil water is water that moves under the influence of molecular forces or gravity and fills some of the spaces between the particles of the soil cover.
General properties of the components of the hydrosphere
Despite the diversity of states, compositions and locations, the hydrosphere of our planet is united. All the waters of the globe are united by a common source of origin (the earth’s mantle) and the interrelation of all waters included in the water cycle on the planet.
The water cycle is a continuous process consisting of constant movement under the influence of gravity and solar energy. The water cycle is a connecting link for the entire shell of the Earth, but also connects other shells - the atmosphere, biosphere and lithosphere.
During this process it can be in three main states. Throughout the existence of the hydrosphere, it is renewed, and each of its parts is renewed over a different period of time. Thus, the period of renewal of the waters of the World Ocean is approximately three thousand years, water vapor in the atmosphere is completely renewed in eight days, and the ice sheets of Antarctica may take up to ten million years to renew. An interesting fact: all water that is in a solid state (in permafrost, glaciers, snow covers) is called the cryosphere.
Including the total mass of water found on, below and above the surface of the planet. Water in the hydrosphere can be in three states of aggregation: liquid (water), solid (ice) and gaseous (water vapor). The Earth's hydrosphere, unique in the solar system, plays one of the primary roles in supporting life on our planet.
Total volume of hydrosphere waters
The earth has an area of about 510,066,000 km²; Almost 71% of the planet's surface is covered with salt water, with a volume of about 1.4 billion km³ and an average temperature of about 4° C, not much above the freezing point of water. It contains almost 94% of the volume of all the Earth's water. The rest occurs as fresh water, three-quarters of which is locked up as ice in the polar regions. Most of the remaining fresh water is groundwater contained in soils and rocks; and less than 1% is found in the world's lakes and rivers. As a percentage, atmospheric water vapor is negligible, but the transport of water evaporated from the oceans to the land surface is an integral part of the hydrological cycle that renews and sustains life on the planet.
Hydrosphere objects
Diagram of the main components of the hydrosphere of planet Earth
The objects of the hydrosphere are all liquid and frozen surface water, groundwater in soil and rocks, as well as water vapor. The entire hydrosphere of the Earth, as shown in the diagram above, can be divided into the following large objects or parts:
- World Ocean: contains 1.37 billion km³ or 93.96% of the volume of the entire hydrosphere;
- Groundwater: contain 64 million km³ or 4.38% of the volume of the entire hydrosphere;
- Glaciers: contain 24 million km³ or 1.65% of the volume of the entire hydrosphere;
- Lakes and reservoirs: contain 280 thousand km³ or 0.02% of the volume of the entire hydrosphere;
- Soils: contain 85 thousand km³ or 0.01% of the volume of the entire hydrosphere;
- Atmospheric steam: contains 14 thousand km³ or 0.001% of the volume of the entire hydrosphere;
- Rivers: contain slightly more than 1 thousand km³ or 0.0001% of the volume of the entire hydrosphere;
- TOTAL VOLUME OF THE EARTH'S HYDROSPHERE: about 1.458 billion km³.
Water cycle in nature
Diagram of the cycle of nature
Involves the movement of water from the oceans through the atmosphere to the continents and then back to the oceans above, across, and below the land surface. The cycle includes processes such as precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, infiltration, percolation and runoff. These processes operate throughout the hydrosphere, which extends approximately 15 km into the atmosphere and up to approximately 5 km deep into the earth's crust.
About a third of the solar energy that reaches the Earth's surface is spent on the evaporation of ocean water. The resulting atmospheric moisture condenses into clouds, rain, snow and dew. Humidity is a decisive factor in determining the weather. It is the driving force behind storms and is responsible for the separation of electrical charge, which is what causes lightning and therefore the natural ones that negatively affect some. Precipitation moistens the soil, replenishes underground aquifers, disrupts landscapes, nourishes living organisms, and fills rivers that carry dissolved chemicals and sediments back to the oceans.
The importance of the hydrosphere
Water plays an important role in the carbon cycle. Under the influence of water and dissolved carbon dioxide, calcium is eroded from continental rocks and transported to the oceans, where calcium carbonate is formed (including the shells of marine organisms). Carbonates are eventually deposited on the seafloor and lithified to form limestones. Some of these carbonate rocks later sink into the Earth's interior through the global process of plate tectonics and melt, releasing carbon dioxide (such as from volcanoes) into the atmosphere. The hydrological cycle, the cycling of carbon and oxygen through Earth's geological and biological systems, is the basis for sustaining life on the planet, forming erosion and weathering of continents, and they stand in stark contrast to the absence of such processes on, for example, Venus.
Problems of the hydrosphere
The process of melting glaciers
There are many problems that are directly related to the hydrosphere, but the most global are the following:
Sea level rise
Sea level rise is an emerging problem that could affect many people and ecosystems around the world. Tide level measurements show a worldwide sea level rise of 15-20 cm, and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has suggested that the increase is due to expansion of ocean water due to rising ambient temperatures, melting mountain glaciers, and ice caps. Most of the Earth's glaciers are melting due to , and many scientific studies have shown that the rate of this process is increasing and is also having a significant impact on global sea levels.
Declining Arctic sea ice
Over the past few decades, Arctic sea ice has decreased significantly in size. Recent NASA research shows it is declining at a rate of 9.6% per decade. This thinning and removal of ice affects the balance of heat and animals. For example, populations decline due to a break in the ice that separates them from land and many individuals drown in attempts to swim across. This loss of sea ice also affects the albedo, or reflectivity, of the Earth's surface, causing dark oceans to absorb more heat.
Change in precipitation
An increase in precipitation can lead to floods and landslides, while a decrease can lead to droughts and fires. El Niño events, monsoons and hurricanes also influence short-term global climate change. For example, changes in ocean currents off the coast of Peru associated with an El Niño event can lead to changes in weather patterns throughout North America. Changes in monsoon patterns due to rising temperatures have the potential to cause droughts in areas around the world that depend on seasonal winds. Hurricanes, which intensify as sea surface temperatures rise, will become more destructive to humans in the future.
Melting permafrost
It melts as global temperatures rise. This most affects the people living in this area, since the soil on which the houses are located becomes unstable. Not only is there an immediate effect, but scientists fear that thawing permafrost will release huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) into the atmosphere, which will greatly affect the environment in the long term. Those released will contribute to further global warming by releasing heat into the atmosphere.
Anthropogenic human influence on the hydrosphere
Humans have had a significant impact on the hydrosphere of our planet, and this will continue as the Earth's population and human needs increase. Global climate change, river flooding, wetland drainage, flow reduction and irrigation have put pressure on existing freshwater hydrosphere systems. The steady state is disrupted by the release of toxic chemicals, radioactive substances and other industrial wastes, as well as the leakage of mineral fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides into the Earth's water sources.
Acid rain, caused by the release of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from the burning of fossil fuels, has become a worldwide problem. Acidification of freshwater lakes and increased concentrations of aluminum in their waters are believed to be responsible for significant changes in lake ecosystems. In particular, many lakes today do not have significant fish populations.
Eutrophication caused by human intervention is becoming a problem for freshwater ecosystems. As excess nutrients and organic matter from wastewater from agriculture and industry are released into water systems, they become artificially enriched. This affects coastal marine ecosystems, as well as the introduction of organic matter into the oceans, which is many times greater than in pre-human times. This has caused biotic changes in some areas, such as the North Sea, where cyanobacteria thrive better and diatoms thrive less.
As the population increases, the need for drinking water will also increase, and in many areas of the world, due to changing temperatures, fresh water is extremely difficult to obtain. As people irresponsibly divert rivers and deplete natural water supplies, this creates even more problems.
Humans have had a great influence on the hydrosphere and will continue to do so in the future. It is important to understand the impact we have on the environment and work to reduce negative impacts.
If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.
North America is rich in inland waters. Rivers and lakes are distributed unevenly across the continent, which is due to the diversity of its climate and topography. The rivers and lakes of the mainland belong to the basins of three oceans - the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic. The endorheic region is small and occupies the Great Cordillera Basin and the northern Mexican Highlands. Rivers of North America The Atlantic Ocean river basin is the most [...]
South America is the continent richest in water resources. The river flow of the continent is twice the average flow of the world's rivers. The main source of river nutrition is rainfall. Rivers are glacially fed only in the southern Andes. The role of snow nutrition is small. The continent is characterized by large river systems. Their formation is facilitated by the flat terrain of the eastern part and the high mountain ranges of the mainland, large […]
Rivers The river network is unevenly distributed on the mainland. The hot and contrasting climate of Africa affects the river network and river regime. In the humid climate region, the river network is densest, and the rivers are fed mainly by rain. About 1/3 of the surface of the continent has no flow into the ocean and belongs to the area of internal flow (most of the Sahara, Lake Chad basin, […]
The Arctic Ocean stands out among others as the smallest (about 14.75 million km2), the deepest (average depth - 1225 m) and the coldest with an abundance of ice. Geographical position of the Arctic Ocean The ocean is located beyond the Arctic Circle in the center of the Arctic, surrounded by land on almost all sides. The deepest sea is the Greenland Sea (5527 m), the largest in area […]
The Indian Ocean is the third largest. The area of the Indian Ocean is 76.17 million km2, the average depth is 3711 m. The name of the ocean is associated with the name of the Indus River - “irrigator”, “river”. Geographical position of the Indian Ocean A characteristic feature of the geographical position of the Indian Ocean is that it is located almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere and entirely in the Eastern Hemisphere. Its waters wash the shores of Africa, Eurasia, […]
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest and deepest. Its area is 91.7 million km2. The average depth is 3597 m, and the maximum is 8742 m. The length from north to south is 16,000 km. Geographical position of the Atlantic Ocean The ocean extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the shores of Antarctica in the south. In the south, the Drake Passage separates the Atlantic Ocean from […]
The Pacific Ocean is the largest in area, the deepest and the most ancient of all oceans. Its area is 178.68 million km2 (1/3 of the surface of the globe); its expanses would accommodate all the continents combined. F. Magellan traveled around the world and was the first to explore the Pacific Ocean. His ships were never caught in a storm. The ocean was taking a break from its usual […]
The term “World Ocean”, as part of the hydrosphere, was introduced into science by the famous oceanographer Yu. M. Shokalsky. Separate parts of the World Ocean, separated from each other by continents and, as a result, differing in certain natural features and unity, are called oceans. These are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic oceans. The ocean plays a large role in the circulation of matter and energy on Earth. Between the ocean, the atmosphere […]
Natural complexes in the oceans are less studied than on land. However, it is well known that in the World Ocean, as well as on land, the law of zonation operates. Along with latitude, depth zoning is also represented in the World Ocean. Latitudinal zones of the World Ocean Equatorial and tropical zones are found in three oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian. The waters of these latitudes are characterized by high temperatures, at the equator […]
In recent decades, the planet has been gripped by a real water famine. Today, there is less and less potable, clean water without harmful impurities on Earth. At the same time, humanity requires more and more fresh water. Water consumption The right to water is a basic human right, but it is becoming increasingly less accessible to residents of many countries in Asia and Africa. […]
In terms of the volume of water they contain, glaciers rank second after the World Ocean. Ice covers 10% of the land and 7% of the total area of the oceans, and 80% of the Earth's fresh water is concentrated in the glaciers of Antarctica. Mountain glaciers Glaciers are huge masses of moving ice formed from fallen and accumulated snow. When a snow patch (a large accumulation of snow) does not have time to melt during the summer, it compacts, crystallizes and […]
Along with rivers, lakes and swamps are of great importance for human economic needs. Lakes are the most important reservoirs of water, swamps are sources of food for rivers, and places where peat is extracted. Lakes Lakes are accumulations of water on land in natural depressions on the earth's surface. The depressions in which lakes are located are called lake basins. Lakes are distinguished by size, origin of basins, salinity of water, and presence of runoff. Most lakes […]
Rivers are the most significant water bodies on land for humans. It is no coincidence that the bulk of the planet’s population has long lived along the banks of rivers. There are many rivers on Earth, and they are all extremely diverse. Parts of a river A river is a constant water stream that flows in a depression it has created - a channel created under the influence of flowing water. The beginning of the river - the source can be a stream flowing from a spring [...]
The world's oceans are in constant motion. In addition to waves, the calm of waters is disturbed by currents, ebbs and flows. All these are different types of water movement in the World Ocean. Wind waves It is difficult to imagine an absolutely calm surface of the ocean. Calm - complete calm and absence of waves on its surface - is very rare. Even in calm and clear weather, ripples can be seen on the surface of the water. And this […]
About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean waters. The world's oceans are the largest part of the hydrosphere. The ocean and its parts are called the entire continuous body of water on Earth. The surface area of the World Ocean is 361 million square kilometers, but its waters make up only 1/8oo of the volume of our planet. The World Ocean has separate parts separated by continents. These are oceans - vast areas of a single World Ocean, differing in relief [...]
The French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote: “Water! You have no taste, no color, no smell, you cannot be described, they enjoy you without knowing what you are! It cannot be said that you are necessary for life: you are life itself. You are the greatest wealth in the world." How much water is on Earth One of the features of the Earth as a planet is the abundance of water. A large area is covered with water [...]
The rivers of Crimea are relatively small. Some of them originate on the northern, others on the southern slope of the Main Ridge. Along the southern slope of the Main Ridge the following rivers flow down and flow into the Black Sea: Uchan-Su, Derekoyka, Eastern Putamis, Western Ulu-Uzen, Eastern Ulu-Uzen and a number of smaller ones. These rivers are of short length and have little water. Some of them begin with waterfalls: Uchan-Su (river Uchan-Su), Golovkinsky […]
No. Lake Area, thousand km2 1. Caspian Sea 396.0 2. Upper 82.1 3. Victoria 69.5 4. Huron 59.7 5. Michigan 57.8 6. Aral Sea 33.6 7. Tanganyika 32, 9 8. Baikal 31.5 9. Bolshoye Medvezhye 31.3 10. Nyasa 29.6
Lake Ladoga Lake Ladoga, located in the north-west of the East European Plain at an altitude of 5 m above sea level, is the largest freshwater lake in Europe. Its area is 17.7 thousand km2; maximum depth 233 m, average depth 51 m; water volume 908 km3. The lake occupies a basin of glacial-tectonic origin. The shores in the northern part of the lake are high, rocky, and have complex contours: numerous […]
