With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements:
- The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater.
- The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 Only
This question tests the understanding of Earth's water distribution. Statement 1 is incorrect because groundwater constitutes a much larger portion of Earth's freshwater compared to the relatively small volumes found in rivers and lakes. Statement 2 is correct as polar ice caps and glaciers store significantly more water than groundwater reservoirs.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The amount of water in rivers and lakes is much less than groundwater; groundwater accounts for approximately 30% of Earth's freshwater while rivers and lakes contain less than 1%.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Polar ice caps and glaciers contain about 68-70% of Earth's freshwater, which is significantly more than the groundwater storage.
📝 Short Notes: Distribution of Earth's Water
| Water Source | Percentage of Total Water | Percentage of Freshwater |
|---|---|---|
| Oceans (Saltwater) | ~97.5% | — |
| Freshwater Total | ~2.5% | 100% |
| Polar Ice Caps & Glaciers | ~1.75% | ~68-70% |
| Groundwater | ~0.76% | ~30% |
| Permafrost | ~0.022% | ~0.9% |
| Lakes (Fresh) | ~0.007% | ~0.26% |
| Soil Moisture | ~0.001% | ~0.05% |
| Atmosphere | ~0.001% | ~0.04% |
| Swamps & Marshes | ~0.0008% | ~0.03% |
| Rivers | ~0.0002% | ~0.006% |
| Biota | ~0.0001% | ~0.003% |
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