GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; slightly over two thirds of this is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. The remaining unfrozen freshwater is found mainly as groundwater, with only a small fraction present above ground or in the air.

Detailed explanation-2: -According to the U.S. Geological Survey, most of that three percent is inaccessible. Over 68 percent of the fresh water on Earth is found in icecaps and glaciers, and just over 30 percent is found in ground water. Only about 0.3 percent of our fresh water is found in the surface water of lakes, rivers, and swamps.

Detailed explanation-3: -3% of the earth’s water is fresh. 2.5% of the earth’s fresh water is unavailable: locked up in glaciers, polar ice caps, atmosphere, and soil; highly polluted; or lies too far under the earth’s surface to be extracted at an affordable cost. 0.5% of the earth’s water is available fresh water.

Detailed explanation-4: -Fresh water makes up under 3% of all water on earth, and nearly 65% of this drinkable water is tied up in glaciers. Rivers, streams, lakes, and dams that hold freshwater contain 1% of potable water while groundwater accounts for 0.3%.

Detailed explanation-5: -In the first bar, notice how only 2.5% of Earth’s water is freshwater-the amount needed for life to survive.