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The hydrosphere is referred to as the total mass of water found on, under, and above the surface of a planet, minor planet, or natural satellite.
- The hydrosphere comprises water on the planet's surface, under the surface, and in the atmosphere.
- The hydrosphere of a planet might be liquid, vapor, or ice. On Earth's surface, liquid water occurs in the form of seas, lakes, and rivers.
- It can also be found below ground in the form of groundwater, wells, and aquifers.
- Clouds and fog are the most visible forms of water vapor. Ice makes up the frozen portion of the Earth's hydrosphere, including glaciers, ice caps, and icebergs.
- The cryosphere refers to the frozen portion of the hydrosphere. Water circulates in a cycle across the hydrosphere.
- Water condenses in clouds and descends to Earth as rain or snow. This water accumulates in rivers, lakes, and the seas.
- The water then evaporates into the atmosphere, restarting the cycle. This is referred to as the water cycle.
Very Short Answers Questions [1 Mark Questions]
Ques. How much percentage of the Earth is covered with water, approximately?
- 20%
- 71%
- 79%
- 83%
Ans. The correct answer is b. 71%
Explanation: Water covers nearly around 71% of the Earth's surface. In the oceans, approximately 97.3% of the water is salty and is not appropriate for direct human consumption. The remaining 2.7% is freshwater that we may use on a daily basis.
Ques. Hydrosphere includes ______.
- Underground water
- Water in the air
- Water on the surface of the planet
- All of the above
Ans. The correct answer is d. All of the above
Explanation: The hydrosphere is composed of water on the planet's surface, underground water, and water in the atmosphere.
Ques. Which power is generated using water?
- Thermal power
- Hydroelectric power
- Biofuel
- Solar power
Ans. The correct answer is b. Hydroelectric power
Explanation: Hydropower, often known as hydroelectric power, is a renewable energy source that creates electricity by changing the natural flow of a river or other body of water using a dam or diversion construction.
Ques. The average salinity of seawater is ______.
- 35 grams of salt per kilogram
- 50 grams of salt per kilogram
- 5 grams of salt per kilogram
- 15 grams of salt per kilogram
Ans. The correct answer is a. 35 grams of salt per kilogram
Explanation: The average salinity of the ocean is roughly 35 grams of salt per kilogram.
Ques. Water plays an important role in regulating the climate.
- True
- False
Ans. The correct answer is a. True
Explanation: Water helps in temperature regulation on Earth and so plays an essential role in climate regulation.
Short Answers Questions [2 Marks Questions]
Ques. What is Hydrosphere?
Ans. The hydrosphere is the area of the earth where water occurs as surface water, subsurface water, and in the atmosphere. Water covers approximately 71% of the earth's surface, or 361740000 square kilometres. The hydrosphere includes oceans, lakes, rivers, subsurface water, streams, ice lands, and water vapor in the atmosphere.
Ques. What are the constituents of the hydrosphere?
Ans. Mainly there are four constituents of the Hydrosphere
- Oceans
- Freshwater
- Glacial water, and
- Atmospheric water vapor.
Ques. Through which process does water move through the hydrosphere?
Ans. The Water Cycle describes how water travels across the hydrosphere. The water cycle includes three water-related phenomena: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Evaporation is the process of converting liquid water into water vapor (gaseous form) at normal temperature. Condensation is described as the process of converting water vapor or water in a gaseous form into a liquid state as a result of temperature decreasing. Precipitation is the process of condensed water descending to the earth's surface in the form of rain, snow, and other precipitation. Water changes forms and flows across the Hydrosphere as a result of the circulation between these three processes.
Ques. What is meant by the atmosphere?
Ans. The atmosphere is a gas composition that surrounds the Earth. It contributes to life by supplying us with oxygen to breathe, covering us from the Sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation, trapping heat to warm the earth, and limiting drastic temperature variations between day and night. Temperatures would be much below freezing on the whole Earth's surface if the atmosphere did not exist.
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Long Answers Questions [3 Marks Questions]
Ques. What is the amount of water present in the hydrosphere?
Ans. The entire mass of the Earth's hydrosphere is approximately 1.4 x 1018 tonnes.
- This amounts to around 0.023 percent of the total mass of the Earth.
- At any one time, the Earth's atmosphere contains around 20 x 1012 tonnes of water vapor.
- Ocean covers approximately 71% of the Earth's surface, an area of around 361 million square kilometers or 139.5 million square miles.
- The average salinity of the Earth's seas is around 35 grams of salt per kilogram of saltwater.
Ques. How do human activities affect the Hydrosphere?
Ans. Human activities that are irresponsible are the primary cause of water source depletion and hydrosphere contamination.
- Tree cutting has a negative impact on the ecosystem and contributes to global warming.
- These negative alterations have an impact on the natural hydrological cycle.
- The discharge of industrial waste, hazardous chemicals, pesticides, radioactive substances, and plastics into bodies of water has a negative influence on the freshwater system as well as aquatic flora and animals.
- The combustion of fossil fuels is the primary source of damaging greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.
- Acid rain is caused by these gases.
- When this water collects in the hydrosphere, it becomes acidified, which has become a major issue across the planet.
- Most fish cannot survive in acidified water, and their number has gradually declined.
Ques. How can we protect the earth's hydrosphere?
Ans. The existence of a hydrosphere is required for the survival of life on Earth. We can preserve our water bodies by taking minor actions to save water. It appears to be straightforward. However, substantial modifications may be performed on a large scale.
- Try to grow natural plants that are suitable to the local climate. They may not require a lot of water or nutrients.
- Properly dispose of harmful chemical compounds such as paint, medication bottles, plastics, and other hazardous items. Do not dispose of it in bodies of water.
- Tiling the foreground in front of the home should be avoided. As a result, precipitation may not be trapped in the soil, resulting in a diminution of groundwater in the surrounding area.
- Keep ponds and wells clean by not dumping rubbish into them.
- Water-saving types of sanitary goods are now available on the market. Try to select models of this type.
Very Long Answers Questions [5 Marks Questions]
Ques. What is the importance of the hydrosphere?
Ans. The hydrosphere is important because water supports diverse living forms.
- It is important to ecosystems and the regulation of the atmosphere.
- The hydrosphere includes all water on the earth's surface. It includes seawater, freshwater, frozen water, and groundwater.
- In addition, there is water in the lowest altitudes of the atmosphere.
The hydrosphere is necessary for the following reasons:
- Water is the most important part of living cells: Every cell in a live creature is made up of around 75% water. It enables the cell to operate properly. Cells would be unable to operate normally, and a cell's existence would be impossible to sustain without water.
- For human needs: Water is used by humans in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons. Humans' most obvious usage is drinking water. This water is also used for residential uses such as washing and cleaning, as well as in industry. Water is also used to generate electricity via hydropower.
- Water provides habitat: Many plants and animals can thrive in the hydrosphere. Many gases, such as CO2, and O2, nutrients such as ammonium and nitrite NO-2, and other ions are dissolved in water. These components must be present in order for life to exist in water.
- Regulate Climate: Water's specific heat is one of its distinguishing features. This demonstrates that water takes a long time to heat up and a long time to cool down. This aids in the regulation of global temperatures. This is because they remain within the permitted range for life on Earth to survive.
Ques. What are the different stages of the water cycle?
Ans. The different stages of the water cycle are
- Evaporation: It occurs when the heat of the sun falls on water bodies such as oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers. Water gently evaporates into the air as vapors.
- Condensation: As the vapors rise, the colder temperatures cause them to cool and condense. This is known as condensation. Wind propels the liquid around, causing clouds to develop.
- Precipitation: It occurs when cloud particles collide due to wind movement. They transform into rain-bearing clouds and descend back to the earth's surface via the precipitation process. Depending on the temperature, this might take the form of rain, hail, snow, or dew.
- Runoff and Infiltration: Water either rushes off into seas, rivers, and the ground surface, or it is absorbed by the soil (infiltration). This cycle will continue.
Ques. What are the various layers of the atmosphere?
Ans. The layers of the Earth's atmosphere are classified as follows:
- Troposphere: It is the Earth's lowest layer of atmosphere. The troposphere rises from the earth's surface to a height of 7 to 20 km. This layer contains all of the weather and climatic conditions. Water vapor and mature particles are present in this stratum. The temperature drops by 1 degree Celsius for every 165 meters of height.
- Stratosphere: Above the troposphere, is the second layer of the atmosphere. It reaches a height of 50 km. This layer is very dry because it contains very little water vapor. It offers certain flight benefits since it is above bad weather and has consistent, strong, horizontal winds. This layer contains the ozone layer.
- Mesosphere: Above the stratosphere is the Mesosphere. It is the coldest layer in the atmosphere. The mesosphere extends from 50 km above the Earth's surface to 85 km. In this layer, the temperature decreases with height.
- Thermosphere: From 80 to 400 km above the Mesopause, this layer may be found. This layer reflects radio waves that are sent from the ground. As you get higher, the temperature rises.
- Exosphere: It is the atmosphere's outermost layer. The exosphere is the region where molecules and atoms escape into space. It reaches up to 10,000 kilometers from the top of the thermosphere.
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