The Hydrosphere

The Hydrosphere

The Hydrosphere is made up of water.

Water covers more than 71% of the earth’s surface and land covers just 29%.

More than 97% of water on the earth is in the oceans and seas.

A little less than 3% of water is in the form of glaciers.

A very small percentage of water is available as fresh water.

The four major oceans are:

 Pacific Ocean
 Atlantic Ocean
 Indian Ocean
 Arctic Ocean

Oceans Currents

Oceans currents are streams of water flowing constantly on the Ocean’s surface
in definite directions.

Ocean currents move in the same pattern as winds – clockwise in the northern
hemisphere and anti – clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

Warm ocean currents originate near the equator and move towards the poles.
Cold Ocean originates near the poles and move towards the tropics.

Ocean currents affect the climate of an area.

The mixing of warm and cold currents gives rise to foggy weather.

The areas where warm and cold currents meet provide the best fishing grounds
of the world.

Ocean Movements

The movements that occur in the oceans can be classified as waves, tides and
ocean currents.

The alternate rise and fall of water in the ocean is called a wave.

Tsunami is a series of huge, destructive waves, caused by underwater

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater landslides.

The rhythmic rise and fall of ocean water twice a day is called a tide.

When ocean water rises to its highest level and covers much of the shore, it is
high tide.

When the water falls to its lowest level and recedes from the shore is a low tide.

The gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on the earth’s surface causes
tides.

Spring tides are exceptionally high tides, and occur when the sun, the moon and
the earth are in the same line.

Neap tides are low tides that occur when the sun and the moon are at right
angles to each other.

Tides help in navigation, fishing and generating electricity.