Hydrosphere

Introduction
Definition:- The hydrosphere is the total amount of water on a planet, including
water that is on the surface, underground, and in the air.
• Hydrosphere is a discontinuous water shell of the Earth between atmosphere
and solid Earth crust (lithosphere), including oceans, seas and water surface on
the land.
• Water covers approximately 71% of the earth’s surface or 361740000 square
km. 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.
Composition of the hydrosphere
• Nearly 97% of the whole water volume is concentrated
in oceans and seas; 0.62 % are in ground waters; about 2% in ice and snow (mainly in Arctic,
Antarctic, and
Greenland); 0.4 % in surface waters (rivers, lakes,
swamps).
Insignificant amount of water is contained in
atmosphere and organisms. All types of water are
transformed from one form to another in circulation
process (global cycle).
 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.
 Components of hydrosphere:-
There are four major components of the Hydrological cycle –
• Oceans,
• Freshwater,
• Glacial water
• Atmospheric water vapour (Surface water, Groundwater)

i) 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. According to geographers, the earth’s five
distinct oceans are the Indian, Pacific, Arctic, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans.
ii) 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. Examples-Lakes, rivers, and streams.
iii) 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.
iv) 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.
Significance of Hydrosphere:-
1) An Important Component of Living Cells - A living organism’s cells are made up of at least 75% water. This
promotes the cell’s normal functioning. The vast majority of chemical reactions occurring in living things involve
substances dissolved in water. Without water, no cell can survive or perform its normal functions.
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 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:-
• Greenhouse gases - Burning coal, oil, gas, and wood releases greenhouse gases that can harm the ocean.
• Water pollution - Releasing fertilizers and sewage into water storage areas can cause eutrophication, which artificially enriches aquatic
environments with nutrients. This can lead to excessive algal blooms that create harmful hypoxic conditions in the water.
• Acid rain - SOx and NOx emissions from fossil fuel combustion can cause acid rain, which can harm surrounding ecosystems.
• Ocean acidification - Human activities can also lead to ocean acidification.
• Damming rivers - Diverting and damming rivers can change the natural flow of water, which can harm ecosystems that rely on the water source.
• Excessive water use - This can cause intermittent streams to dry up, which can be dangerous because they are important for water purification and
habitat.
• Noise pollution - Underwater noise from construction, shipping, and naval vessels can impact the natural behavior of marine species, such as
cetaceans.

Other impacts include -