Discontinuous layer of water at or near the Earth's surface. It includes all liquid and frozen surface waters, groundwater held in soil and rock, and atmospheric water vapour. Virtually all of these waters are in constant circulation through the hydrologic cycle. Although the components of the hydrosphere are undergoing continuous change of state and location, the total water budget remains in balance. The components of the hydrosphere have been seriously affected by the water-polluting activities of modern society
one of three traditional subdivisions of the physical environment of the Earth that is composed of water
The part of the Earth composed of water including clouds, oceans, seas, ice caps, glaciers, lakes, rivers, underground water supplies, and atmospheric water vapor
The aqueous envelope of the earth, including the ocean, all lakes, streams, and underground waters, and the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere
The whole body of water that exists on or close to the surface of the Earth This includes the oceans, seas, lakes, and the water in the atmosphere
The totality of water encompassing the Earth, comprising all the bodies of water, ice, and water vapor in the atmosphere
the water realm of Earth, which includes water contained in the oceans, lakes, rivers, ground, glaciers, and water vapor in the atmosphere
The water portion of the earth as distinguished from the solid part, called the lithosphere, and from the gaseous outer envelope, called the atmosphere
water held in oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, ground water, plants, animals, soil, and air List of Glossary Terms
Encompasses the oceans and other bodies of water as well as the water which permeates the geosphere
All the earth's liquid water (oceans, smaller bodies of fresh water, and underground aquifers), frozen water (polar ice caps, floating ice and frozen upper layer of soil known as permafrost), and small amounts of water vapor in the atmosphere back
The component of the climate system comprising liquid surface and subterranean water, such as: oceans, seas, rivers, fresh water lakes, underground water etc
The aqueous envelope of the Earth, including the oceans, freshwater lakes, rivers, saline lakes and inland seas, soil moisture and vadose water, groundwaters, and atmospheric vapor (Source: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, 1990)