Earth: Portrait of a Planet (Fifth Edition)
Earth: Portrait of a Planet (Fifth Edition)
5th Edition
ISBN: 9780393937503
Author: Stephen Marshak
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Question
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Chapter 19, Problem 1RQ
To determine

The groundwater and its location on Earth.

Expert Solution & Answer
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Answer to Problem 1RQ

Groundwater is water present beneath the surface of the Earth in the pore spaces of sediments and rock.

Explanation of Solution

Groundwater is the liquid water residing in the pore spaces of soil or rock formation under the Earth’s surface. The surface water of the Earth such as rivers, lakes, stream, glaciers, marshes, and ocean is visible easily as it resides on the surface, likewise the atmospheric water present in the cloud pours as rain. The groundwater is a hidden reserve that lies beneath the surface and hence, it is also called the subsurface water.

This hidden reserve contains about 5,600,000 mi3(23,400,000 km3) of water, which is approximately 123 times of the water as much as the combined quantity of water present in all the visible lakes, rivers, and swamps. Thus, the groundwater accounts for about two-thirds of the global freshwater resources on the Earth used by agriculture, homes, and industry.

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