Martes, Agosto 9, 2011

Earth's Hydrosphere

As far as we know, the earth that we live on is the only planet that is able to support life. Among all of the planets, earth has the right temperature and types of gases that are suitable for life to exist. Our planet also has water on its surface. Most of earth is covered by water that is why our planet is often called the "blue planet". This water is made up of freshwater, saltwater, groundwater,and water vapor. Together all these bodies of water are called the hydrosphere.Hydrosphere refers to the portion of earth that is composed of water. The movement of  water around, over and through the earth is called the water cycle, a key process of the hydrosphere. Hydrosphere came from the Greek word hydro means "water" sphere means "ball" altogether  ball of water, it describes the collective mass of water found on, under, and over the planets surface.The Greek word for water and ball, is truly descriptive of our planet,because it reflects the abundance and importance of water on earth..


Water is very important. It is important because we need water in our everyday lives. We use water in many ways most specifically for drinking water. It is obviously very important in human life because human body is mostly water. Without water we would die in a week. Water also provides habitat for many plants and animals that can help support life on earth. Water also can regulate climate. One of the unique characteristics of water is its high specific heat. This is important in helping to regulate temperatures on earth. In short all living and non living things on earth need water for survival. Still, despite the significance of water, we often take it for granted. Water conservation only comes to our mind in times of crisis and dry season. We seldom think about where water comes from or how will it last.