The Earth's atmosphere is key to the Earth's water cycle. Without the atmosphere, Nature's engine of delivery of a constant supply of water safe for drinking and irrigation all over the world, could not exist or function as it does and has for a very very long time.
The Atmosphere
All the water in the atmosphere is concentrated in the atmosphere near to and touching the ground.
It is from this atmosphere that water precipitates in its many forms - rain, snow, hail etc - down to the ground, with assistance from a combination of forces that include gravity, temperature variations, variations in the content of particles and bacteria in the atmosphere, etc.
Without the atmosphere, water would not move around as smoothly as it does today. And, maybe, it's renewable ability would be at risk if the atmosphere disappears or reduces in volume.
How much atmosphere is there?
Actually, not that much more than water!
If we represent the total volumes of water (1.4 billion cubic kilometers) and air as spheres:
- The water sphere would be 1,390 kilometers in diameter. Of course the safe water part of this sphere is miniscule.
- The air sphere would be 1,999 kilometers across.
Half of the air lies in the first 5 kilometers above ground level which contains 90% of the miniscule safe water in the atmosphere.
Running out of safe water
The key question that arises on running out of safe water is: What is the probability that we might run out of air?
The Atmosphere
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| Water Exists in Atmosphere Source - op.gfz-potsdam.edu |
It is from this atmosphere that water precipitates in its many forms - rain, snow, hail etc - down to the ground, with assistance from a combination of forces that include gravity, temperature variations, variations in the content of particles and bacteria in the atmosphere, etc.
Without the atmosphere, water would not move around as smoothly as it does today. And, maybe, it's renewable ability would be at risk if the atmosphere disappears or reduces in volume.
How much atmosphere is there?
 |
| Total volume of atmosphere and all Water (safe and unsafe) Source - Science Photo Library |
If we represent the total volumes of water (1.4 billion cubic kilometers) and air as spheres:
- The water sphere would be 1,390 kilometers in diameter. Of course the safe water part of this sphere is miniscule.
- The air sphere would be 1,999 kilometers across.
Half of the air lies in the first 5 kilometers above ground level which contains 90% of the miniscule safe water in the atmosphere.
Running out of safe water
The key question that arises on running out of safe water is: What is the probability that we might run out of air?
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