Previous Year Question

On the planet Earth, most of the fresh water exists as icecaps and glaciers. Out of the remaining fresh water, the largest proportion

is found in atmosphere as moisture and clouds

is found in freshwater lakes and rivers

exists as groundwater

exists as soil moisture

Correct Answer: C

Detailed Solution

Approximately 96.5% of the Earth’s total water is found as saline water in oceans and seas. Only about 2.5% of the total water is fresh water.
Approximately 68.7% of this fresh water is stored in icecaps, glaciers and permanent snow. Therefore, these constitute the largest reservoirs of fresh water on the Earth.
Approximately 30.1% of fresh water exists as groundwater. After excluding the water stored in icecaps and glaciers, groundwater constitutes about 30.1% of the remaining approximately 31.3% of fresh water. Thus, groundwater accounts for about 96% of the remaining fresh water.
The amount of water found in freshwater lakes, rivers, soil moisture and atmospheric moisture is extremely small in comparison with groundwater.

Therefore, the largest proportion of the remaining fresh water exists as groundwater.

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