What are 2 ways that water on land is returned to the oceans?
Water eventually returns to the ocean as precipitation that falls directly into the sea and as precipitation that falls on land and flows to the ocean through rivers.
How does the water leave then return to the ocean?
Energy from the sun causes water on the surface to evaporate into water vapor – a gas. This invisible vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air is colder, and condenses into clouds. Water drops form in clouds, and the drops then return to the ocean or land as precipitation – let’s say this time, it’s snow.
How does water return to Earth?
Water evaporates from within soils and through vegetation and from bodies of water (such as rivers, lakes and oceans). This evaporated water accumulates as water vapour in clouds and returns to the Earth as rain or snow. The returning water falls directly back into the oceans, or onto land as snow or rain.
Does all water lead to the ocean?
That is about 96.5 percent of all Earth’s water. It is also estimated that the oceans supply about 90 percent of the evaporated water that goes into the water cycle.
Does water leave the Earth?
Earth contains huge quantities of water in its oceans, lakes, rivers, the atmosphere, and believe it or not, in the rocks of the inner Earth. Water, as a vapor in our atmosphere, could potentially escape into space from Earth. But the water doesn’t escape because certain regions of the atmosphere are extremely cold.
Where does the water go when it returns to the ocean?
This invisible vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air is colder, and condenses into clouds. Air currents move these clouds all around the earth. Water drops form in clouds, and the drops then return to the ocean or land as precipitation – let’s say this time, it’s snow.
How are the systems and cycles of the ocean related?
The ocean and Earth’s systems and cycles 1 Hydrosphere 2 Atmosphere. 3 Biosphere. Life also thrives in the dark ocean depths. 4 Geosphere 5 Water cycle. Liquid water enters the ocean through rain, rivers and melting ice. 6 Carbon cycle. Water and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the ocean and the atmosphere. 7 Rock cycle.
How is the ocean part of the Earth system?
Here are some ways the ocean is involved in major Earth systems and cycles. This system is made up of all the water on Earth, including water that is liquid, solid (ice and snow) or vapour (in the atmosphere). The ocean contains most of the water on the planet – far more than the freshwater in ice, lakes, rivers, groundwater and clouds.
Where does most of the water in the water cycle go?
Most precipitation lands in the oceans. Precipitation that falls onto land flows into rivers, streams, and lakes. Some of it seeps into the soil where it is held underground as groundwater. When warmed by the sun, water on the surface of oceans and freshwater bodies evaporates, forming a vapor.