Question

Approximately how much of the water found on earth is salty?

1) Less than 1%
2) Around 3%
3) Approximately 97%
4) More than 50%

Answer 1

Approximately 97% of the water on Earth is salty, with the majority found in oceans. Freshwater represents only about 3%, with the vast majority of it locked away in glaciers and ice caps, making accessible freshwater quite scarce.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main answer to the question of approximately how much of the water found on Earth is salty is 97%. Exploring the vast expanse of Earth's waters, it becomes evident that a significant majority is contained within the oceans as saltwater. To be precise, the oceans hold about 97% of our planet's water, which inherently means it is saline and not suitable for direct human consumption or irrigation without desalination. Freshwater, which includes water of low concentrations of salts, constitutes roughly 3% of Earth's total water supply. However, the majority of this freshwater is not readily accessible as it is frozen in ice caps, glaciers, or located in remote underground aquifers.The scarcity of accessible freshwater explains why access to clean drinking water remains a critical issue globally. Less than 1% of all freshwater is available as surface water in rivers, lakes, and streams, which is why initiatives to manage and maintain our freshwater resources are so crucial.