1 In recent years, the U.S. has seen a number of winter storms that have caused surprisâ¦. 2  The Periodic Table of Elements Life is sustained by a number of chemical elements. 3  They are responsible for the birth of planets and the evolution of cells to complex organisms.
Water distribution on Earth - Distribution of saline and fresh water. 1  The total volume of water on Earth is estimated at 1.386 billion kmÂ³ (333 million cubic miles), with 97.5% being salt water and 2.5% being fresh water. 2  The total volume of water in rivers is estimated at 2,120 kmÂ³ (510 cubic miles), or 2% of the surface fresh water on Earth.
In his textbook ''Introduction to Oceanography,'' Dr. Ross estimated that the ocean had 97.2 percent of the earth's total water and put the freshwater ice caps and glaciers at 2.15 percent. Saline lakes and inland seas would add a trace of salt water, or 0.008 percent of the global total. Relatively small amounts of fresh water are also found in groundwater (0.625 percent of total water), freshwater lakes (0.009 percent), the atmosphere (0.001 percent) and rivers and streams (0.0001 percent.)