Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q102 (IAS/2010) Geography › World Physical Geography › World physical mapping Answer Verified

Consider the following statements: 1. On the planet Earth, the fresh water available for use amounts to about less than 1% of the total water found. 2. Of the total fresh water found on the planet Earth 95% is bound up in polar ice caps and glaciers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  Â·  Correct: A
Explanation

Statement 1 is correct. Although about 2.5–3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, only a tiny fraction of that is readily available for human use — surface water in lakes, rivers and accessible groundwater represent less than one-half of one percent of total Earth water (i.e., well under 1%) [1]. Statement 2 is incorrect. The bulk of Earth’s freshwater is in ice and glaciers, but the commonly cited share is around 68–70%, not 95% — roughly two-thirds of freshwater is locked in polar ice caps and glaciers rather than the vast majority implied by 95% [2]. Therefore only statement 1 is correct.

Sources

  1. [1] https://schoolship.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Understanding-Global-Water-Distribution.pdf
  2. [2] https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/freshwater-resources/
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
67%
got it right
✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS · 2021 · Q72 Relevance score: 5.02

With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements : 1. The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater. 2. The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IAS · 2025 · Q40 Relevance score: 3.27

With reference to the planet Earth, consider the following statements: 1. Rain forests produce more oxygen than that produced by oceans. 2. Marine phytoplankton and photosynthetic bacteria produce about 50% of world's oxygen. 3. Well-oxygenated surface water contains several folds higher oxygen than that in atmospheric air. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IAS · 2005 · Q120 Relevance score: 2.32

Consider the following statements: (1) Total land area of earth is approximately 1475 lakh square kilometers. (2) Ratio of land area to water area of earth is approximately 1.4 (3) Maximum percentage of earth’s water is in the Pacific Ocean. Which of the statements given above is are correct?

IAS · 2015 · Q62 Relevance score: 1.81

Consider the following statements : 1. The Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme was launched during 1996-97 to provide loan assistance to poor farmers. 2. The Command Area Development Programme was launched in 1974-75 for the development of water-use efficiency. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IAS · 2024 · Q89 Relevance score: 1.59

Consider the following statements : 1. The Red Sea receives very little precipitation in any form. 2. No water enters the Red Sea from rivers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?