Secondary I • 3yr.
What is the hydrosphere and what is it useful for? Thank you!
What is the hydrosphere and what is it useful for? Thank you!
Explanation from Alloprof
This Explanation was submitted by a member of the Alloprof team.
Hi PeacefulEarth1054,
Thank you for your question!:)
The hydrosphere comprises all the water on Earth, whether it is in gas, liquid or solid phase.
Oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, groundwater, glaciers, snow, clouds, and many more are some of the physical features that constitute the hydrosphere.
70% of the earth's crust is covered with water. 97% of this water is salt water and 3% is fresh water. However, of the 3% of fresh water, only 0.4% is available at the Earth’s surface.
The hydrosphere has several uses: it is essential for humans to stay hydrated, for living things to stay alive, for the production of renewable energy, for climate regulation, for the clouds to form, for heat to be absorbed, etc. Water is even believed to be necessary for the appearance of life on a planet! This is why scientists look for traces of water on other astronomical objects, like Mars.
Let us know if we can help you with anything else!
-Marilee