Hydrosphere

Hydrosphere refers to the water that covers the Earth’s surface. Water covers approximately 71% of the
earth’s surface or 361740000 square kilometres. It consists of all oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater.
Because it regulates the climate and influences the distribution of plant and animal species, the
hydrosphere is an important part of the Earth’s environment. The hydrosphere mainly consists of the
Hydrological Cycle and Components of the Hydrosphere.

Hydrosphere Hydrological Cycle

The circulation of water within the Earth’s Hydrosphere in various states such as liquid, solid, and
gaseous is known as the Hydrological cycle. It is also called the water cycle. It also refers to the
continuous exchange of water between the land surface, oceans, and subsurface, as well as organisms.
The existence of the hydrosphere is dependent on this significant phenomenon.

The Water cycle consists of four steps. Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and surface run-off are
examples of these processes. The sun’s heat causes water from lakes, oceans, and streams to evaporate.
The oceans contain approximately 71% of the water on Earth. The remaining water is found in lakes,
glaciers, ice caps, groundwater sources, soil, and various forms of life. Evaporation returns approximately
59% of the water that reaches the land to the atmosphere. Evaporation occurs in oceans as well as other
locations. The process by which a liquid turns into a gas is called evaporation.

Water vapour carried away by hot air begins to cool as it rises above the earth’s surface. It eventually
transforms into clouds. This is called condensation. When water condenses in the clouds, it becomes
heavy and begins to fall back as snow or rain, depending on the temperature of the atmosphere. This is
referred to as precipitation. When it rains, the soil absorbs a small amount of water, which becomes
groundwater. The remainder flows through the hills and mountains and collects in various parts of the
hydrosphere. This is referred to as surface run-off. The hydrosphere refers to the cycle of water through
various states and stages.
 Hydrological Cycle Diagram

Hydrological Cycle mainly consists of three stages i.e.

Evaporation, Condensation and Precipitation.

Hydrosphere Components

Any water storage area on Earth that holds liquid water is a part of the hydrosphere. As a result, the
hydrosphere is made up of a diverse range of formations. There are four major components of the
Hydrological cycle:

Oceans,

Freshwater,

Glacial water

Atmospheric water vapour (Surface water, Groundwater)

1. Oceans

The vast majority of the water on our planet is saltwater, and the oceans contain the vast majority of this
saltwater. Oceans can be found at greater depths beneath the earth’s surface. Oceans, unlike continents,
merge seamlessly and become difficult to distinguish. According to geographers, the earth’s five distinct
oceans are the Indian, Pacific, Arctic, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans.

2. Freshwater

Any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other
total dissolved solids is referred to as fresh water. Although seawater and brackish water are specifically
excluded, non-salty mineral-rich waters such as chalybeate springs are included. Freshwater is much less
abundant than salt water and can be found in a variety of environments. Lakes, rivers, and streams are
examples of surface freshwater sources.

3. Glacial Water

Glacial water is water that melts from glaciers. It normally occurs at the glacier’s base, but it can also
form on, inside of, or beneath it. The world’s glaciers are thinning as Earth’s temperature warms, boosting
freshwater discharges to all types of glacial lakes.

4. Atmospheric Water Vapour

Under typical atmospheric circumstances, water vapour is continuously created by evaporation and
removed by condensation. It is less dense than most other air constituents and causes convection currents,
which can lead to clouds. It is present in two forms:

Surface water: Any body of water found on the Earth’s surface is considered surface water, which
includes both saltwater in the ocean and freshwater in rivers, streams, and lakes.

Groundwater: Water that seeps into the soil and is stored in large aquifers beneath the ground. This water
can be accessed through the use of wells and motors.

Hydrosphere Significance

The hydrosphere is of immense importance in the following ways:

1. An Important Component of Living Cells

2. Water Provides Habitat to Flora and Fauna

The hydrosphere provides a habitat for a variety of plants and animals. Water dissolves many gases and
ions, including CO2, O2, nutrients like ammonium and nitrite (NO-2) and other ions. The presence of
these substances is critical for the existence of life in water.

3. Existence of Earth’s Atmosphere

The hydrosphere makes a significant contribution to the current state of the atmosphere. The earth’s
atmosphere was extremely thin when it was first created. Helium and hydrogen were tightly packed in
this atmosphere, just like they are now on Mercury.

Helium and hydrogen eventually vent off from the atmosphere. As the Earth cooled, the gases and water
vapour produced became the current atmosphere. Other gases and water vapour were also released by the
volcanoes and entered the atmosphere.

4. Fulfils Basic Human Needs

Water is used by humans in a number of ways. The most obvious use is drinking water, but we also use it
for domestic purposes such as washing and cleaning, as well as in industries. Furthermore, we use water
to generate electricity via hydropower.

5. Impact on the Earth’s Climate

The specific heat of the water is one of its distinguishing features. This indicates that water has a slow rate
of heating and cooling.. It helps to regulate the temperatures on Earth so that they remain within an
acceptable range for life to exist.

Hydrosphere Anthropogenic Impact

Human activities that are irresponsible are the primary cause of water source depletion and hydrosphere
pollution. Deforestation has a negative impact on the environment and contributes to global warming.
These negative changes have an impact on the natural hydrological cycle. The discharge of industrial
waste, toxic chemicals, pesticides, radioactive substances, and plastics into bodies of water has a negative
impact on the freshwater system as well as aquatic plants and animals.

The combustion of fossil fuels is the primary source of harmful greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon
dioxide, sulphur 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 around the world. Most
fish cannot survive in acidified water, and their population has gradually declined.

As the population expands, so will the need for water. However, our lakes, rivers, freshwater ponds, and
wells are dwindling. The scarcity of fresh water will become a major issue in the coming years. It is now
difficult to sustain the hydrosphere due to rising temperatures.