Global Freshwater Distribution on Earth

GeographyOceanography & Water ResourcesStatement-based● EasyStatic

Question

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.

Options

1 only

2 only

Answer

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect because global freshwater reserves hold significantly more water in underground aquifers than in all surface rivers and lakes combined. Statement 2 is correct because ice caps and glaciers store the largest share of Earth's freshwater resources, followed by groundwater. > Ice caps and glaciers hold the vast majority of terrestrial freshwater, followed by groundwater, while surface lakes and rivers contain less than one percent. Answer: (b).