Question

1. on the lines below, write a paragraph that describes the distribution of salt water and (fresh) water on earth

Explanation:

To answer this, we analyze the distribution of salt water and fresh water on Earth:

Earth’s water is predominantly salt water (≈97.5%) in oceans/seas, with high salinity. Fresh water (≈2.5%) is scarce: most (≈68.7%) is frozen in glaciers/ice caps, ≈30.1% is groundwater (some accessible), and only a tiny fraction (≈0.3%) is surface water (lakes, rivers, wetlands) or in the atmosphere. This uneven distribution means usable fresh water for humans, ecosystems, and agriculture is extremely limited compared to salt water.

Answer:

On Earth, water is overwhelmingly salt water—about 97.5% of all water resides in oceans and seas, characterized by high salinity. In contrast, fresh water makes up just 2.5% of Earth’s total water. Most fresh water (≈68.7%) is locked in glaciers, ice caps, and permanent snow, while ≈30.1% exists as groundwater (much of it deep or saline - influenced, limiting direct use). Only a minuscule portion (≈0.3%) of fresh water is accessible as surface water in lakes, rivers, wetlands, or as atmospheric vapor. This stark imbalance means salt water dominates Earth’s hydrological landscape, while usable fresh water for human needs, ecosystems, and agriculture remains a scarce and precious resource, distributed unevenly across frozen reservoirs, underground aquifers, and limited surface sources.