Second only to the ocean in the amount of water storage, the ice of the Earth makes up more than twice as much water as all other types of water storage, including ground water, lakes, streams, etc. It has been estimated that there is enough water locked up in the form of ice to […]
The name ‘tsunami’ is Japanese. It means harbor wave. Tsunamis used to be called tidal waves, but they actually have nothing to do with the tides. The sudden displacement of huge amounts of water causes tsunamis. Most happen as a result of an undersea earthquake. If the earthquake is powerful enough, the sudden movement of […]
The waters of the Earth’s oceans are for the most part in liquid form. What happens when you take a half full bottle of water and shake it up? Do you see the bubbles swirling rapidly around inside the water bottle? While liquid water molecules do generally attract one another forming a body of […]
The ocean can extend in some places down to depths of several miles, or kilometers. However, most of the action takes place in the first couple hundred feet, or meters. Below this depth it is too dark, cold and murky for much to happen. Across the entire planet, the Earth’s oceans are believed to be […]
Because most of the Earth’s water is found in the oceans, in order to understand the hydrosphere, we must understand these massive bodies of water. Fortunately, this is easier today than it has ever been. Modern technologies allow scientists to study the oceans in much greater detail than was possible to previous generations. You are […]
Some of the Earth’s water supply is temporarily locked up within the many lifeforms found across the Earth’s biosphere. This water makes up a majority of most organisms, and is a critical component, making the processes of life possible. Some organisms are made up of 95% water, while almost all the rest are more than […]
Have you ever heard someone refer to water as H2O? Why do you suppose someone might call water by this name? What is water? Water is a basic molecule made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. When these three atoms come together, they form a strong bond that is difficult to break. […]
What causes the air to blow from place to place? Is there a giant ogre hiding in a cave somewhere blowing out birthday candles, or is something else at work? As you probably guessed, it is the latter. Air movement is caused by differences in pressure from one location to another in the Earth’s […]
There is absolutely no difference between fog and clouds found high in the air. Fog is simply a cloud that has formed near the surface of the Earth. There are four main types of fog: Radiation fog, advection fog, upslope fog and evaporation fog. Radiation Fog As the ground becomes cooled by the night sky, […]
The process of water molecules escaping the surface of the Earth and entering the atmosphere is known as evaporation. Evaporation takes place as molecules of water escape from a collective body of water. This can be a puddle, a lake, a stream, or just a droplet of water. As water molecules evaporate, they take with […]
