Lecture 1: Fundamentals of water Flashcards
Where does the earth’s water come from?
Outgassing during cooling of Earth
Comets
Biochemically (mineralisation and bacterial photosynthesis)
Leakage from hydrous rocks
Photolysis (breakdown of compounds by light)
The blue planet
75% of surface covered by water
Only planet in solar system with significant liquid water
3 million tonnes of water on moon
138x109 million tonnes on Earth (138 000 000 000)
Water is essential to life
The solvent for most chemical and biochemical reactions
60% of body is water, 70% of brain is water, lungs 90% water
Survive 8-14 days without water but upto 50 days without food
The connecting hydrosphere
Clouds in atmosphere
Form under control of lithosphere and biosphere
Rainfall erodes, denudes and transports lithosphere
Sustains biosphere
Generates runoff to oceans
Evaporates into atmosphere
