Question

How does the atmosphere affect the hydrosphere?

Answer 1

Hint: The atmosphere and the hydrosphere, concern the air and the water bodies on the Earth respectively. These spheres form an integral part of the Earth and are essentially interdependent in many crucial ways.

Complete answer: Evaporation caused by atmosphere causes the water molecules from the hydrosphere to form water vapour and move upwards. The same water vapours form clouds, and, upon condensation, come down to the land and water bodies again in the form of precipitation. It could be rainfall or snowfall. This is also known as the water cycle.

However, pollution caused by human activities has interfered in the process and given rise to the phenomenon of ‘acid rain’. When the water vapour gets absorbed by polluting gases, like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, that are suspended in the atmosphere and can rise very high, the same forms acidic pollutants and comes down as ‘acid rain’. Upon falling on land and flowing down to water bodies, it leeches aluminum on its way and discharges it when they reach a river or stream. Wherever such rain interacts directly with the water bodies, they can cause significant damage to aquatic life by reducing the pH level of the water.

Note: The hydrosphere is not at all an isolated system. Rather, it constantly interacts with other global systems, like the atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. All these interactions are crucial to complete the water cycle of the hydrosphere.