Short answer type questions
Write a short note on the ‘Hydrosphere’.

Hint:The earth that we live in has three major domains that makes life possible on it. Lithosphere, Atmosphere and Hydrosphere are the major components of earth and the biosphere is the narrow zone where these three components meet.

Complete Answer:The realm of water on Earth is called Hydrosphere. It includes all the water that is on the planet in the form of ice, vapour and liquid. On the surface it exists in liquid form in oceans, rivers and lakes. Water is also found below the ground as aquifers and groundwater. In the atmosphere water exists as water vapour, fog and clouds.The frozen water on earth is found in glaciers, icebergs and ice caps.

The water on earth is maintained through the water cycle. Water cycle or the hydrological cycle describe the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of earth. The water from oceans and rivers due to heat of the sun evaporates. Evaporated water forms water vapour in the atmosphere. Water droplets in the atmosphere form clouds which when condensed leads to precipitation.Precipitation again fills up surface water resources like ocean, stream, rivers, lakes as well as ground water resources.

Note:It is important to remember some facts and statistics of our hydrosphere. 96.5%of the water on earth is saline water in the oceans. The rest 3.5 %is freshwater in freshwater lakes, ice caps and glaciers. Most of the freshwater available to us is in the form of ice.