This document discusses the hydrosphere, which is the water sphere that surrounds the Earth. The hydrosphere comes from the Latin word "hydro" meaning water, and it covers about 71% of the Earth's surface. Water is essential for life as it makes up 75% of living cells and allows chemical reactions to occur. The hydrosphere also regulates climate, provides habitat, and is important for human and industrial use. However, water pollution and misuse threaten the hydrosphere. We must avoid pollution and misusing water to protect this critical part of our planet.

1. THE
HYDROSPHERE
LEHONG MT
UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG
CHEMISTRY
27 AUGUST 2021

3. DID YOU KNOW THAT THE EARTH IS MADE UP OF FOUR(4)
SPHERES/ELEMENTS?
1.THE BIOSPHERE.
2.THE ATMOSPHERE.
3. THE LITHOSPHERE.
4. THE HYDROSPHERE.
THE EARTH
Earth is the third planet from
the Sun and the only planet known to
harbour and support life.
About 29.2% of Earth's surface is
land consisting of continents and
islands.
The remaining 70.8% is covered with
water.

4. FOOD FOR THOUGHTS
•The Earth's rotation is gradually slowing. ...
•Earth has a powerful magnetic field. ...
•There is only one natural satellite of the planet Earth. ...
•The Earth is the densest planet in the Solar System

6. THE ATMOSPHERE
Atmosphere is the thin layer of air
that surrounds the earth.
This thin layer is made up of
numerous gases such as oxygen,
nitrogen, carbon dioxides, dust
particles and water vapour. The
gravitational force of the earth
holds the atmosphere around it. It
protects us from harmful rays and
scorching heat of the sun.

7. LITHOSPHERE
• The lithosphere is the earth’s outer part which consist of crust
and upper mantle.
• In the lithosphere, water is an important weathering agent,
which means that it helps to break rock down into rock
fragments and then soil.
These fragments may then be transported by water to another
place, where they are deposited. These two processes
(weathering and the transporting of fragments) are collectively
called erosion.
• Erosion helps to shape the earth’s surface.
• The processes of weathering and erosion also increase the
content of dissolved minerals in the water.
• These dissolved minerals are important for the plants and
animals that live in the water

8. HYDROSPHERE
The hydrosphere is the water sphere that surrounds the
earth.
Hydrosphere comes from the Latin word “hydro” which means
water.
The large amount of water on our planet is something quite
unique. In fact, about 71% of the earth is covered by water. Of
this, almost 97% is found in the oceans as saltwater, about 2,
2% occurs as a solid in ice sheets, while the remaining amount
(less than 1%) is available as freshwater. So from a human
perspective, despite the vast amount of water on the planet,
only a very small amount is actually available for human
consumption (e.g. drinking water).

9. BIOSPHERE
In the biosphere, land plants absorb water through their roots
and then transport this through their vascular (transport)
system to stems and leaves. This water is needed in
photosynthesis, the food production process in plants.
Transpiration (evaporation of water from the leaf surface) then
returns water back to the atmosphere.

11. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT WHY IS WATER
SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CANNOT LIVE
WITHOUT?

12. IMPORTANCE OF THE HYDROSPHERE
Water is a part of living cells Each cell in a living organism and is made up of almost 75% water, and this allows the cell to
function normally. In fact, most of the chemical reactions that occur in life, involve substances that are dissolved in water.
Without water, cells would not be able to carry out their normal functions and life could not exist.
• Water provides a, habitat. The hydrosphere provides an important place for many animals and plants to live. The
presence of these substances is critical for life to exist in water.
• The hydrosphere helps regulate the climate One of water’s unique characteristics is its high specific heat. This means that
water takes a long time to heat up and also a long time to cool down. This is important in helping to regulate temperatures
on earth so that they stay within a range that is acceptable for life to exist. Ocean currents also help to disperse heat.
• The hydrosphere is important for Human needs. Humans use water in a number of ways. Drinking water is obviously
very important, but water is also used domestically (e.g. washing and cleaning) and in industry. Water can also be used to
generate electricity through hydropower.

14. .
Evaporation is the process in which the sunlight heats up the water surface on the eart
(rivers, lakes, oceans and ground water) and turns into vapour or steam
. The water vapour or steam then leaves these surfaces to the air.

15. TRANSPIRATION
• Transpiration is the process by which
moisture is carried through plants from
roots to small pores on the underside of
leaves, where it changes to vapour and is
released to the atmosphere.
• Transpiration in other words is the
evaporation of water from plant leaves
. Transpiration also includes a process called
guttation, which is the loss of water in
liquid form from the uninjured leaf or stem of
the plant, principally through water stomata

16. CONDESATION
Condensation is the opposite of evaporation.
During the process of condensation water vapour gets into
the air, gets cold and changes to back into liquid forming
clouds.

17. Precipitation is water released from clouds in the form of rain,
freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail. It is the primary connection in the
water cycle that provides for the delivery of atmospheric water to the
Earth. Most precipitation falls as rain

18. THREATS TO THE HYDROSPHERE

19. WATER POLLUTION
WHAT IS WATER POLLUTION?
• Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies
• (lakes, rivers, oceans and ground water).
• Water pollution is caused by the direct or indirect pollutants
which are discharged into the water bodies.
• Water pollution have a negative impact on living organisms
such as animals, people and plants and also the natural
biological communities.

20. MISUSE OF WATER
1.The misuse of water can be in the form of leaking pipes
2.Leaving tap water running.
3. Using more than enough water unnecessary.

21. WHY IS WATER IMPORTANT TO ALL LIVING
ORGANISMS AND HOW CAN
WE PROTECT THE HYDROSPHERE?
WATER IS IMPORTANT TO LIFE BECAUSE…
1. It is the only substance on earth that is in liquid form at temperatures.
2. It is solvent, making other substances to dissolve into it, and this allows water
to transport nutrients to the cells, and transport waste away from them.

23. HOW TO PROTECT OUR HYDROSPHERE?
1.AVOIDING OR STOPPING WATER POLLUTION.
2. PREVENTING THE MISUSE OF WATER.
3. Avoiding leaving the tap running needlessly
and stop or report leaking taps or pipes.

24. THE END