Question

Match the liquid, fresh, surface water components with the correct percentage of the global quantity of water in that compartment.

A Streams
B Swamps
C Lakes
D Rivers
1) 2%
2) 87%
3) 11%
4) 2%

Answer 1

The distribution of freshwater in lakes, swamps, rivers, and streams is 87%, 11%, and 2% respectively of Earth's surface water. Freshwater is a critical but scarce resource, with less than 1% being easily accessible to living organisms.

Step-by-step explanation:

The distribution of Earth's water is a key topic in understanding our planet's resources. The question focuses on fresh, surface water components and their proportions in the global quantity of water. The correct matches for each component, using references like the United States Geological Survey and Igor Shiklomanov's research, are as follows:

• Lakes account for 87% of surface water. This is depicted as 0.86% of the Earth's total freshwater.
• Swamps comprise 11% of surface water.
• Rivers and Streams combined constitute roughly 2% of the Earth's surface water, with rivers alone accounting for 0.02%.

Understanding these percentages is crucial for grasping the scarcity of accessible freshwater resources, which are vital for all forms of life on Earth.