Q. With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements:

1. The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater.
2. The amount of water In polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• 1 only
• 2 only
• Both 1 and 2
• Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (b) 2 only

Distribution of water on the surface of the earth:

• Water in groundwater is 0.62% while in lakes and rivers it is 0.008 (Salt lakes) + 0.009(freshwater lakes) + 0.0001(rivers)=0.0171.
• Water in polar ice caps and glaciers is 2% while in groundwater it is 0.62%.
• Earth’s surface is covered with 29% of land and 71% of water. Out of 71% of water, 97% of water is saltwater which is present in oceans, seas, and saltwater lakes.
• Remaining 3% of water present on the land is freshwater which is present in the form of glaciers, ice caps, groundwater, lakes, rivers, and in the atmosphere as water vapor.
• Out of 3% of freshwater, 2.5% of the earth’s freshwater cannot be used because it is locked up in glaciers, polar ice caps, atmosphere, and soil; highly polluted, or lies too far under the earth’s surface to be extracted at an affordable cost.
  • Of the total freshwater, 69% resides in glaciers, 30% underground, and less than 1% is located in lakes, rivers, and swamps. Thus, the amount of water in rivers and lakes is less than amount of groundwater.