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Most of Earth's surface is ocean water: 70.8% or 361 million km 2 (139 million sq mi). [96] This vast pool of salty water is often called the world ocean, [97] [98] and makes Earth with its dynamic hydrosphere a water world [99] [100] or ocean world. [101] [102] Indeed, in Earth's early history the ocean may have covered Earth completely. [103]
Earth formed about 4.54 billion years ago by accretion from the solar nebula, a disk-shaped mass of dust and gas left over from the formation of the Sun, which also created the rest of the Solar System. Initially, Earth was molten due to extreme volcanism and frequent collisions with other bodies.
The first eon in Earth's history, the Hadean, begins with the Earth's formation and is followed by the Archean eon at 3.8 Ga. [2]: 145 The oldest rocks found on Earth date to about 4.0 Ga, and the oldest detrital zircon crystals in rocks to about 4.4 Ga, [34] [35] [36] soon after the formation of the Earth's crust and the Earth itself.
The mass of Earth's oceans is estimated to be 1.37 × 10 21 kg, which is 0.023% of the total mass of Earth, 6.0 × 10 24 kg. An additional 5.0 × 10 20 kg of water is estimated to exist in ice, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and atmospheric water vapor. [20] A significant amount of water is also stored in Earth's crust, mantle, and core.
Earth's shadow; Earthquake lights; Glories; Green flash; Halos, of Sun or Moon, including sun dogs; Haze; Heiligenschein or halo effect, partly caused by the opposition effect; Ice blink; Light pillar; Lightning; Mirages (including Fata Morgana) Monochrome Rainbow; Moon dog; Moonbow; Nacreous cloud/Polar stratospheric cloud; Rainbow; Sprite ...
The effects of climate change on the water cycle have important negative effects on the availability of freshwater resources, as well as other water reservoirs such as oceans, ice sheets, the atmosphere and soil moisture. The water cycle is essential to life on Earth and plays a large role in the global climate system and ocean circulation.
The water cycle refers to the complex system by which water moves around the Earth. Water evaporates from the ground — including from lakes, rivers and plants — and rises into the atmosphere ...
Water is a basic necessity of life. Since two thirds of the Earth is covered by water, the Earth is also called the blue planet and the watery planet. [notes 1] The hydrosphere plays an important role in the existence of the atmosphere in its present form. Oceans are important in this regard.