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EXPERIENCE > SCIENCE TOOLS > THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
There is one major fact about life on Earth: it could not, would not exist if it weren’t for the presence of water. Consider these facts:
There is one major fact about life on Earth: it could not, would not exist if it weren’t for the presence of water. Consider these facts:
- 75% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water.
- Because the Earth is a closed system, we are using the same water today the dinosaurs used millions of years ago.
- Water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid, making it an important way of transporting chemicals, minerals and nutrients from one place to another.
- Of all the water on Earth, only 3/10s of a percent is usable to human beings
Now Consider How Water Affects You Personally...
- 70% of your body is composed of water.
- To stay healthy, you need to drink up to eight cups of water each day.
- Besides what you drink, you use between 80 and 100 gallons of water for other purposes. Your biggest consumption of water is flushing the toilet.
- Every day, in some way, you benefit from water. From the fruits and vegetables you eat to the electricity which powers your city or town, it may all depend on water.
- If you live in the United States, you probably have easy access to clean, drinkable water. Not everyone’s so lucky, however. Worldwide, more than 3.4 million people die each year due to lack of water and related sanitation.
