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Geography > Water And Carbon > Flashcards

Water And Carbon Flashcards

1
Q

What is a system?

A

A set of interrelated events or components working together

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2
Q

Define “Energy”

A

Ability to do work.

In physical geography the primary source is the sun.

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3
Q

Define flow/transfer

A

The movement of energy and/or mass between stores/components

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4
Q

Define “Input”

A

Addition of matter and/or energy into a System

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5
Q

Define “output”

A

Results of matter/energy from a system

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6
Q

Define “store/component”

A

A part of the system where energy is transferred

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7
Q

What is an open system

A

Where there and both inputs and outputs of energy/matter

Example - drainage basin

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8
Q

What is a closed system

A

Where there are inputs of energy and matter but not outputs

Example - Earth

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9
Q

What is an isolated system

A

No interactions with anything outside the system boundary. No input of energy or matter

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10
Q

What is the difference between a closed system and isolated system

A

A closed system is where there are inputs and outputs of energy but not matter, in an isolated system there are neither.

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11
Q

What are the parts of a system.

A

Elements
Attributes
Relationships

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12
Q

Define “dynamic equilibrium”

A

A system in which input equals output

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13
Q

Define “positive feedback”

A

When a chain of events amplifies the impacts of the original event

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14
Q

Define “negative feedback”

A

A chain of events that nullifies the impacts of the original event

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15
Q

Example of negative feedback

A

Increased use of fossil fuels ↳ Increased atmospheric co2 ↳ increase in global temperatures ↳ More plant growth ↳ Reduced atmospheric concentration

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16
Q

What is the lithosphere

A

All the rocks and top layer of the mantle on earth

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17
Q

What is the biosphere

A

All living things on earth

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18
Q

Give two ways the atmosphere and biosphere are linked

A

Plants take in co2 from the atmosphere

Plants release oxygen into the atmosphere through respiration

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19
Q

Give two ways the hydrosphere and lithosphere are linked

A

Water infiltrates into the soil

Water percolates into the groundwater

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20
Q

What percentage of the earth’s water is salt water

A

97%

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21
Q

What percentage of fresh water is surface and atmospheric water

A

0.4%

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22
Q

How much would sea level rise if the ice over Antarctica was to melt

A

60m

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23
Q

Where is Africa’s only ice cap and what is happening to it

A

On Mount Kilimanjaro

Melting rapidly and will soon disappear

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24
Q

Where is Africa’s only ice cap and what is happening to it

A

On Mount Kilimanjaro

Melting rapidly and will soon disappear

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25
Q

What is permafrost

A

Soil which has been frozen for at least two years

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26
Q

What is permafrost

A

Soil which has been frozen for at least two years

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27
Q

Give an example of how permafrost melting can create a positive feedback loop

A

Permafrost melts

Releases co2 into the atmosphere

Increase temperatures due to greenhouse effect

Permafrost melts

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28
Q

Give an example of how permafrost melting can create a positive feedback loop

A

Permafrost melts

Releases co2 into the atmosphere

Increase temperatures due to greenhouse effect

Permafrost melts

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29
Q

What percentage of the worlds water is found in rivers

A

0.0002%

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30
Q

How much of the worlds total river flow is found in the Amazon

A

1/5

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31
Q

What is the water table

A

The depth at which pore spaces or fractures become completely saturated

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32
Q

What is happening to levels of groundwater and why

A

Ground water levels are declining due to human extraction such as for farming

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33
Q

Which four factors affect the amount of evaporation

A

Amount of solar energy
Availability of water
Humidity of air
Temperature of air

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34
Q

What is dew point

A

The temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapour

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35
Q

What is the process of ice turning to vapour known as

A

Sublimation

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36
Q

What is the process of water vapour turning to ice known as

A

Deposition

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37
Q

Define Adiabatic cooling

A

Volume of air increases without heat, happens when air rises and expands

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38
Q

Give 2 scenarios where adiabatic cooling leads to precipitation

A
  • Air is forced to rise over hills known as relief rainfall
  • Masses of air of different temperatures and densities meet. The less dense warm air rises over the denser cold air (frontal effect)
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39
Q

What is accumulation and ablation

A

Accumulation- Input of snow/ice into an area

Ablation- The removal of snow/ice out of an area

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40
Q

What is a drainage basin

A

The area which supplies a river with its supply of water

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41
Q

What is infiltration

A

Downward movement of water from the surface into the soil

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42
Q

What is percolation

A

Downward movement of water within the rock under the soil surface.

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43
Q

What is interception

A

The precipitation the falls on vegetation surfaces and is temporarily stored there

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44
Q

Give two transfers of a drainage basin system

A

Throughfall
Throughflow
Infiltration
Percolation
Surface run off
Groundwater flow

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45
Q

Define decomposition

A

Living organisms are broken down by decomposers when they die

Decomposers respire which releases co2

Some carbon is also returned to soil

46
Q

What is combustion

A

Burning fossil fuels, wildfires etc

47
Q

What is diffusion/acidification

A

The oceans absorb co2 however this harms aquatic life through coral bleaching

48
Q

What is weathering and erosion?

A

Rock particles broken down and transferred to the ocean

Carbon used by marine organisms to create shells

49
Q

What is sedimentation

A

Sea shell fragments compacted over time to form limestone and organic matter may form fossil fuels

50
Q

What is carbon sequestration

A

Transfer of carbon from the atmosphere and can be both natural or artificial

51
Q

The slow carbon cycle

A

Carbon moved through atmosphere, lithosphere and oceans

Moves around 10 to 100 million tonnes of carbon every year

Takes between 100 and 200 million years for carbon to move

52
Q

The Fast Carbon Cycle

A

Living Things

Happens over years or decades

Moves around 1000 times more carbon per year than the slow carbon cycle

53
Q

Flows of carbon between the atmosphere and biosphere

A

Respiration and decomposition releases carbon into atmosphere

Plants photosynthesise and take in carbon dioxide

Forest fires release carbon into the atmosphere

54
Q

Flows of carbon between the atmosphere and lithosphere

A

Weathering releases carbon into the atmosphere

Volcanic eruptions release carbon trapped inside the earth and carbon released by metamorphosing rocks

55
Q

Flows of carbon between the lithosphere and hydrosphere

A

Erosion and weathering release carbon into rivers and streams and eventually into seas and oceans

Carbon diffuses into the oceans and forms carbonic acid and carbonate ions

56
Q

Flows of carbon between the biosphere and lithosphere

A

Plankton from sea creatures sink to the ocean bed and are compressed into hydrocarbons

57
Q

Flows of carbon between the hydrosphere and biosphere

A

Plankton and other marine producers take up carbon in ocean water

58
Q

Flows between the hydrosphere and atmosphere

A

Carbon released from the oceans back into the atmosphere in warmer waters

59
Q

What is the difference between a net carbon source and net carbon sink?

A

A net carbon source - more carbon leaves than enters

A net carbon sink - more carbon enters than leaves

60
Q

How is carbon moved through the rock cycle

A
  1. Carbon dissolves in water to form carbonic acid or acid rain, this reacts with minerals at the earths surface through chemical weathering
  2. The ions are carried within streams and rivers and settle as minerals in oceans
  3. Dead coral or other organisms build up on the sea floor, carbon is stored in these buried layers
  4. Tectonic forces cause plate movement to push the sea floor under continental margins (subduction), Sea floor deposits heat up and melt
  5. This molten rock can rise back up through volcanic eruptions, returning co2 to the atmosphere
61
Q

How does deforestation affect the water cycle at a localised scale

A

Before: Much of the precipitation is returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration

Overland flow is minimal

Most of the water that reaches the forest floor infiltrates into the soil and travels slowly to the river by throughflow, maintaining a steady flow in the river

After: Precipitation stays the same, evapotranspiration lower as replacement vegetation has smaller leaves and the roots are less dense

Overland flow and throughflow occur because of the lack of vegetation. Leads to increased discharge and flashiness, therefore localised flooding occurs

62
Q

How does deforestation affect the water cycle at an extensive scale

A

Positive feedback can occur in the drainage basin.

Due to evapotranspiration being low a lot of the water leaves the area in the river channel, instead of constantly being recycled between the forest floor and the atmosphere

Once the water has left the area there is less water vapour in the atmosphere for precipitation and so precipitation levels fall. less water gets to river channel, flow is reduced

63
Q

How land use changes can affect the water cycle: water abstraction

A

Problem occurs when demand exceeds availability of water

Most frequently in areas with low rainfall and high population

Result is a sinking water table, and intrusions of saltwater from the sea degrading the groundwater

64
Q

Water abstraction from the chalk of Southern England

A

85% of the 200 chalk streams in the world are in England

Fed with water from a chalk aquifer - clear cold water and stable flows

Biggest problem is due to overabstraction

Amplified in summer months as more demand

Leads to problems such as inability to fish and enjoy river views

65
Q

What is the water balance

A

balance between inputs and outputs in a drainage basin

Precipitation = evapotranspiration + streamflow +- storage

66
Q

Water surplus

A

when precipitation is greater than evapotranspiration creating saturated soil

67
Q

Water deficit

A

when precipitation is less than evapotranspiration, dry soil

68
Q

What is latent heat

A

Energy absorbed or released by a substance during a phase change

69
Q

Carbon stored in the lithosphere

A

Marine sediments and sedimentary rocks - 100 million Gtc
Soil organic matter - 1500-1600 Gtc
Fossil fuel deposits - 4000 Gtc
Peat - 250 gtc

70
Q

Carbon stored in the hydrosphere

A

Oceanic stores
Surface layer - 900 gtc
The twilight zone - 37100 Gtc
Living organic matter (fish, bacteria etc) - 30 Gtc and dissolved organic matter 700 Gtc

When organisms die they sink , sometimes right to the bottom forming layers of carbon rich sediment. This forms rocks which can store carbon for millions of years.

This sediment layer is estimated to store 100 million Gtc

71
Q

Carbon in the biosphere

A

Tropical forest - 20%
Boreal forest - 26%
Tundra - 8%
Desert - 5%

72
Q

The carbon in the terrestrial biosphere - Living vegetation

A

19% of carbon in earths biosphere in plants

half of the carbon in forests occurs in high latitude forests, little more than a third in low latitude forests

boreal forest in russia holds roughly 25% of the world’s forest carbon

Amazon basin contains about 20%

73
Q

The carbon in the terrestrial biosphere - Plant litter

A

Fresh, decomposed plant debris (leaves, cones, twigs, bark etc)

Leaf tissue accounts for about 70% of litter in forests

74
Q

The carbon in the Terrestial biosphere - Soil humus

A

In all the forests in the world 31% of the carbon is stored in the biomass whereas 69% is stored in the soil

Altogether the worlds soils hold 2500 Gtc which is more than the vegetation

Organic - 1550 Gtc
Inorganic - 950 Gtc

75
Q

What is decomposition

A

When living organisms die they are broken down by decomposers which respire, returning co2 to the atmosphere.

76
Q

What is acidification

A

The oceans can absorb co2 from the atmosphere but this harms aquatic life through coral bleaching.

77
Q

What is erosion

A

Rock particles broken down and transferred to the ocean where the carbon is used by marine organisms to create shells

78
Q

What is carbon sequestration

A

Transfer of carbon from the atmosphere and can be both natural and artificial

79
Q

The carbon cycle - Weathering

A

Carbon reacts with water vapour to form acid rain.

When this acid rain falls onto rocks it dissolves them

The molecules from this reaction are washed into the sea where they react with dissolved co2 in the water to form calcium carbonate, then used by sea creatures to make shells

80
Q

The carbon cycle - Ocean uptake and loss

A

Co2 transferred to oceans when taken up by organisms living in them ie plankton

Also transferred from the ocean to the atmosphere when carbon-rich water from deep in the oceans rises to the surface

81
Q

The carbon cycle - sequestration

A

Carbon from the atmosphere can be sequestered in sedimentary rocks or fossil fuels.

82
Q

Fast carbon cycle

A

Only takes minutes, hours or days

Includes photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, and decomposition

83
Q

Slow carbon cycle

A

Takes millions of years

ie sequestration in sedimentary rocks

84
Q

Natural factors affecting carbon cycle - Wildfires

A

Every year they burn 3 to 4 million km^2 of the earth’s surface and release more than a billion tonnes of carbon

Rapidly transfer large quantities of carbon and the loss of vegetation mean less is removed from the atmosphere

Long term fires can encourage growth of new plants due to soil being more fertile, depending on scale may cancel each other out.

The significance of this varies as there are counties such as England which dont experience wildfires often and other countries such as Portugal which experience them annually.

85
Q

Natural factors affecting the carbon cycle - Volcanic activity

A

Amount of co2 released by recent volcanic eruptions has not been enough to be detectable

Recorded eruptions only account for 1% of the co2 currently released by humans

86
Q

Human factors affecting the carbon cycle - Cement manufacture

A

900kg of co2 for every 1000kg of cement produced

Estimated that the cement industry produces 5% of global anthropogenic co2 emissions - 50% of this is from chemical processes and 40-% from the fuel burning

This is significant on a temporal scale as co2 emissions did not even see a sufficient drop during a pandemic compared to other businesses

87
Q

Human factors affecting the carbon cycle - Farming practices

A

When soil is ploughed and air mixes in soil microbial activity dramatically increases which results in soil organic matter being broken down much more rapidly so carbon lost to atmosphere quicker too.

Agriculture and foresty cause 1/4 of all human greenhouse gas emissions

Spatial scale - quite a few countries still have agriculture based economies

88
Q

Human factors affecting carbon cycle - land use changes

A

Account for up to 30% of anthropogenic emissions

Deforestation
- According to Global Forest Watch there was a total of 361 million hectares of tree cover lost globally between 2001 and 2008

Urban Growth

Urban population expected to reach 60% of global population by 2030 growinf at a rate of 1.3m people per week

89
Q

The river brock case study - background information

A

17.8km long

Myescough Agricultural College has a license to abstract maximum 45.46m^3 daily
and an annual maximum of 16592 m^3

90
Q

Mitigating climate change - Carbon capture

A

AO1:
Gas captured and stored before injected in liquid form into aquifiers or deposits of fossil fuels
Boundary dam - Saskatchewan aims to cut emissions by 90% and expect to reduce emissions by 1m tons per year

AO2:
Suspicion by environmental campaigners- have to use up reserves through the burning of fossil fuels in order to make space for CCS - counter productive

Cant do it in areas where there are lots of earthquakes as the ground breaking would release co2 into the atmosphere or hydrosphere

91
Q

Mitigating climate change - Modifying photosynthesis

A

AO1:
Trees remove co2 from atmosphere and also reduce moisture which regulates temperature

Plantation forests which make up 7% of global forest area are more effective than natural forests

Land use - Carbon farming is when one type of crop is replaced by another with greater productivity and can absorb more co2

AO2:
Not everywhere has the capacity for afforestation due to topography and soil fertility

Governments may be reluctant due to social issues such as housing shortages

A much cheaper and safer strategy than carbon capture- can do on a larger scale therefore it is likely to be more effective than carbon capture aswell

92
Q

Mitigating Climate change by modifiying photosynthesis in sri lanka

A

AO1:

Protecting mangroves in sri lanka - absorb more co2 than other forests and store in soil for hundreds of years

The project will cost £2.2m over 5 years and protect over 21000 acres of mangrove forest. A further 9600 acres will be planted

A02:

Only one country so has regional impacts but not global

However cost effective as 2.2m in 5 years is reasonable

93
Q

Mitigating climate change - Government policies in Brazil

A

AO1:

2005 - Government introduced a plan to dramatically reduce rates of deforestation
Landowners were required to preserve 10% of virgin forest, this was punishable by fines

AO2:
Unreliable as be easily reversed if somebody else (Bolsonaro) goes into power or if there is corruption

94
Q

Mitigating climate change - Political incentives

A

AO1:
Paris agreement - 195 countries which have aimed to limit temperature levels to 1.5 degrees above pre industrial levels

And also strengthen the ability to adapt to and be resilient towards impacts and support developing countries

AO3:
Positive that developing countries are being supported

95
Q

What is a carbon budget?

A

A carbon budget takes into account how much carbon is emitted against how much is absorbed or captured by nature

96
Q

Impacts on the land (of a changing carbon budget)

A

More co2 in atmosphere - more plant growth due to photosynthesis (Carbon fertilisation)

Carbon dioxide taken up by plants has increased since 1960. 25% of enissions removed by plants

Agriculture becoming more intensive increasing co2 take up

Farmland in mid latitudes was abandoned in the early 20th century. Replaced by trees which store much more than crops

97
Q

Effects of a changing carbon budget - Ocean acidity

A

Since 1750 the pH of the ocean’s surface has dropped by 0.1, a 30% change in acidity

Carbonic acid reacts with carbonate ions that shell building creatures use, making their shells thinner and damaging coral

Example - Great Barrier Reef Australia

However a benefit of this in the long term is more acidic seawater will dissolve calcium carbonate rocks which will release more carbonate ions and increase oceans capacity to absorb co2

98
Q

Effects of a changing carbon budget - ocean warming

A

Phytoplankton grow better in cooler nutrient rich waters
An increase in temps could decrease the abundance of them therefore reducing amount of carbon held in oceans

A study on phytoplankton changs in the Indian Ocean shows a decline of 20% in madine phytoplankton during the past 6 decades

This would reduce the biological pump, reducing the effectiveness of the ocean as a carbon sink

99
Q

Water cycle feedback loop and how it impacts life

A

Arctic ice shrinking more quickly in recent years, exposing more water (less reflective surface)

Warms the water from sun absorption further melting snd reducing ice coversge

Affects precipitation patterns and availability of fresh water

AO2 / Dry reigons ie the Sahara will be harder hit than those already water secure

100
Q

Water/carbon cycle feedback loop

A

Phytoplankton in oceans used solar energy and carbon dioxide in photosynthesis

Primary producers (aquatic ecosystems) therefore they sustain food web and are important stores of carbon

They release a chemical called DMS - promoting the formation of clouds

This could lead to an increase in cloudiness and global cooling as clouds reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth

But less sunshine may mean less phytoplankton which would reduce cooling effect

Difference species of phytoplankton react differently (AO2)

101
Q

How do water and carbon support life on earth?

A

Plants form the base of food chains and they require inputs of both water and carbon for photosynthesis

Water vapour and carbon dioxide are greenhouse gases, create a natural greenhouse effect that prevents some energy from escaping into space

Without this the earth would be frozen and inhabitable

102
Q

Interactions between water and carbon cycle in atmosphere

A

Carbon combines with water in atmosphere which allows chemical weathering therefore removing carbon from atmosphere

The amount of co2 in the atmosphere affects global temps affecting the amount of evaporation and precipitation which will occur

103
Q

Change in magnitude of stores of water - Evaporation

A

Lots of solar radiation = more evaporation therefore varies by location and season

104
Q

Changes in magnitude of stores of water - Cloud formation and precipitation

A

Frontal precipitation - Warm and cool air meet, warm air rises over cool air as it is less dense and cools down as it rises

Relief rainfall - warm air meets mountains and is forced to rise over them

Convectional rainfall - The sun heats up the ground, moisture on the ground evaporates and rises up in a column of warm air. As it gets higher it cools

105
Q

Changes in magnitude of stores of water - Cryospheric processes

A

Glacial periods inputs are greater than outputs in the cryosphere - Water transferred to snow and less water transferred away due to meltibg

When its warmer the store is reduced due to melting

The earth is emerging from a glacial period which reached its peak 21000 years ago, extensive stores of ice on land in Antartica and Greenland

Long term variations - changes in global temperature over thousands of years

Short term variations - Annual temperature fluctuations mean more snow falls in winter than summer

106
Q

Changes in water cycle - Storm events

A

Intense storms = more precipitation = greater peak discharges

Larger input of water causes more flow and stores increase in size

107
Q

Changes in water cycle - Seasonal changes and vegetation

A

During winter temps may reach below 0 degrees reducing the size of flows through drainage basins while frozen water stores increase
In summer this ice will melt increasing flows and outputs through drainage basins again

Vegetation dies in winter, interception is at its highest when lots of deciduous trees have their leaves

108
Q

Changes in water cycle - Farming practices

A

Ploughing breaks up surface so more water can infiltrate

Crops increase infiltration and interception, evapotranspiration also increases = more precipitation

Livestock trample and compact soil, drecrasing infiltration and increasing runoff

Irrigation can decrease groundwater stores through water abstraction

109
Q

Changes in water cycle - Water abstraction

A

More water abstraction in areas where population density is high in order to meet demand

During dry seasons even more is abstracted due to consumption and irrigation, depleting stores further

110
Q

Outline the distribution of major stores of water

A

Oceans - 97% (salt water)
Fresh water - 3%
Cryosphere (glaciers and ice caps) - 61% of the 3% fresh
Remaining 39% in rivers or lakes however only 0.0002% in rivers so insignificant

Geography (2 decks)

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