Category: Geography Notes PPT

A hypsometric curve is the one which represents the histogram of the elevations in a given geographical area or location. The histogram of the hypsometric curve is a cumulative distribution function of the land elevations (altitude or depth) with respect to a reference point. This curve shows such a distribution with two maxima where one represents the land elevations of altitude i.e. elevations above the sea level and the other one represents the elevations of the depth i.e. the elevations below the sea level. The below diagram shows a two-dimensional hypsometric curve with the bimodal distribution i.e. hypsometric curve with two peaks.  

Hypsometry and Hypsometric Curve

Hypsometry is the measurement of the land elevations which is relative to the sea level. The representation of such a measurement is the hypsometric curve. The hypsometric curve defines the elevations of the earth’s surface in the form of cumulative distribution. And the graph given above in the form of a two-dimensional histogram shows the elevation on the vertical y-axis and the area above the corresponding elevation is shown on the x-axis. It is clearly visible from the figure that the hypsometric curve is the cumulative height frequency curve of the Earth’s surface. Thus, in simple terms hypsometry is the calculation or the measurement of the land elevations and the hypsometric curve is the graphical representation of the frequency distributions (cumulative) of the elevations of the earth’s surface.

A hypsometric curve calculation plots the relative area against the relative height to show the land area that exists at different points of elevation on the surface of the earth. The elevations on the earth can be either positive or negative depending on the elevation point either being measured in terms of altitude above the sea level or the depth below the sea level. Hence, because of this the hypsometric curve calculation delivers a graph or histogram with two local maximum values. So, the representation is bimodal showing the two maximum values on land surface and beneath the sea. This is different from the surface on other planets of the solar system where the hypsometric curve calculation shows typical unimodal properties. The unimodal properties are because there are no oceans on the surface of other planets of the solar system or any such significant water bodies. 

Hypsometric Analysis

As is clear from the given definitions, hypsometry is the measurement of the high risen or highly deep points on the earth surface and hypsometry is the graphical representation of the same. As clearly visible, the hypsometric curve gives two humps of maxima in the cumulative distribution of elevation in Earth’s surface, one at 100 metre and another at 4700 metres which indicate the correlations with the mean level of the lowland continental areas and the deep sea-floor. The interesting thing about the hypsometric analysis of Earth’s surface is that it supports the theory that the crust of the Earth’s surface consists of simatic materials under the ocean and of sialic materials above the ocean i.e. the surface of the continents. 

The elevation of the Earth’s crust in the form of histogram is shown below in the given diagram:

The hypsometric curve when required to be represented in a non-dimensional or standardized form can be represented by scaling the elevation and the area by the maximum values. The hydrologists or geomorphologists can find a way to understand and assess the similarity of the watersheds from the non-dimensional hypsometric curve, which is one of the several characteristics that the curve is used to understand. The hypsometric integral is the summary of the shape of the hypsometric curve. Hence, the hypsometric integral is a terrain analysis factor reflecting from the landform erosion stage.

The curve has three parameters to fit the different hypsometric relations, as described by Arthur Strahler:

y = [((d-x)/x).(a/(d-a))]x

In the given equation, a, d and z are the mentioned fitting parameters. The research using the two-dimensional landscape models has been called the general applicability fitting to fit into the equation as well as the capability of the curve in dealing with scale-dependent effects. 

The hypsometric curves are usually commonly used in limnology. In limnology, the relationship between the surface area of the lake and the depth is represented by the curve and is used to calculate the total lake volume. The graphs of the curve will be used to predict other different characteristics of the lakes like productivity, dilution of the incoming chemicals and the potential mixing for the water. 

Conclusion

From the given article a sufficient amount of information is provided for the hypsometry and hypsometric curve. The hypsometric curve is the graph showing the cumulative frequency distribution of the elevation points on Earth’s surface on both the land above the sea level and on the surface below the sea level. Thus, in conclusion, a hypsometric curve is a graph which shows two peaks of local maxima representing the elevation distribution in terms of altitude above the point of reference and the elevation distribution in terms of the depth below the point of reference. 

Intrusive Igneous rocks are those rocks that are formed from the magma beneath the surface of the Earth. Igneous rocks are those types of rocks, which are formed with the cooling of molten rock to a solid state. These rocks are formed from magma and thus these are the rocks that begin the rock cycle, they are also known as primary rocks. These can be easily identified with their features such as texture, colour, density and mineral composition. These are generally further divided into two types: Intrusive or Extrusive. Here, in this article, we will learn about the intrusive volcano, intrusive forms, Intrusive rocks, its diagram, features, types, etc.

Introduction

A volcano is an opening on the surface of a planet that leads to the escape of various warmer materials such as lava, gases, dust, ashes, etc. from its interior. This escape occurs because of the eruption of the volcano and this eruption can be explosive or on the other hand, it can be calmer which includes a gentle flow of the lava out of the volcano. Basically, these can be of two types i.e. Intrusive or Extrusive.

Intrusive Volcano

Intrusive volcanism is a type of activity where magma is forced into the rocks that make up the crust of the Earth and when with time it cools and later becomes solid but still remains underground, this leads to the formation of different features such as plutons. Due to intrusive volcano activity, intrusive igneous rock formation occurs here.

Intrusive Forms

During volcanic eruptions, the lava which is discharged out of it leads to the formation of igneous rocks after cooling down. This cooling of the lava may take place in two ways; either after arriving on the surface or while the lava is still in the crustal portion. Igneous rocks are generally classified into two types i.e. plutonic rocks as well as volcanic rocks depending upon the location of the cooling of the lava. The lava which cools inside the portions of the crust of the Earth takes various diverse forms and these forms are known as intrusive forms.

Intrusive Igneous Rocks

Intrusive igneous rocks are types of rocks that cool underground and deep in the crust below the surface magma cools slowly and this slow cooling gives crystals enough time and a chance to grow. Therefore, these types of rocks have relatively large crystals which are easy to see. These are also known as plutonic rocks where pluton means an igneous rock body that forms within the crust.

Intrusive Igneous Features

The various features of these type of rocks are mentioned below:

• These are one of the important types of igneous rocks along with the Extrusive ones.

• These types of rocks formed beneath the surface of the Earth with the cooling as well as solidification of the magma.

• It leads to the formation of various features such as stocks, sills, dikes, laccoliths, etc.

• If we talk about plutons, then the mass of cooling magma is known as a pluton whereas the rock around refers to country rock. The formation of large plutons can occur along the convergent tectonic plate boundaries. 

• Intrusive rocks are those which include slow cooling and slow cooling leads to the formation of large crystals which are visible.

• Common examples of these types of rocks are granite, gabbro, and diorite, etc.

• Plutonic rocks are hard as well as large and slow process of erosion leads to exposing of these rocks at the surface due to geological processes.

Intrusive Igneous Rocks Diagram

 

Here, in the aforementioned diagram, we can clearly see how Intrusive rocks are formed beneath the surface of the Earth due to the trapping of magma inside the Earth’s surface and their magma cools and solidifies with time and leads to the formation of various types of rocks. Long and slow timing of cooling leads to the formation of the coarse-grained texture of these rocks.

Types of Intrusive Igneous Rocks

The Intrusions which actually intrude the rocks at shallow levels of the crust are known as hypabyssal intrusions. Here, shallow refers to the depths of generally less than about 1 km. These kinds of intrusions always show sharp contact relations with the rocks they intrude.  Several types are mentioned below:

• Dikes are one of the important types which are small, generally <20 m wide shallow intrusions and which usually show a discordant relationship to the rocks in which they actually intrude. Here, discordant refers to that they cut across pre-existing structures and they may also occur as isolated bodies or as swarms of dikes emerging from a large intrusive body.

 

• Sills are also small shallow intrusions that are generally <50 m thick which show a concordant relationship with the rocks that they actually intrude. These usually are fed by dikes and on the other hand, these may not be exposed in the field.  

• Laccoliths are those intrusions, which are somewhat large that lead to the upliftment as well as folding of the preexisting rocks above the intrusion. These intrusions are also concordant.

 

Besides these, if we talk about plutons, these are generally much larger intrusive bodies that have intruded much deeper.   They may show sharp contacts with the surrounding rocks but on the other hand at deeper levels, the contacts are often gradational. Several types are mentioned below:

• Lopoliths are those small plutons that usually show the upper surface as concave downward.  This shape may have formed because of the reduction in volume due to crystallization of magma, with the weight of the overlying rocks that leads to collapse into space which was once occupied by the magma at the time when it had a larger volume (as a liquid).

 

 

• If we talk about what Stocks are, then these are those smaller bodies that are likely to feed on batholiths of deeper levels. Stocks may have been feeders for the volcanic eruptions, but associated volcanic rocks are rarely exposed because of the large amounts of erosion that are required to expose a stock or batholith.

Fun Fact

Intrusive rocks formed below the surface but due to geological processes, some intrusive igneous rocks have been brought to the surface. For example The following landscape in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California which are made up of granite that has been raised to create mountains.

 

Conclusion

Thus, in this article, we have covered the Intrusive rocks which are an important type of Igneous rocks that are formed from the magma, especially the magma which cools into a solid form under the surface of the Earth. The volcanic eruptions of the intrusive volcano lead to the formation of such rocks and various other forms such as dikes, sills, laccoliths, etc. These occur below the surface but sometimes due to the geological processes, these can be exposed on the surface as well. This topic will be helpful to increase your understanding of igneous rocks in Geology, Geography, Earth Sciences, Physical Geography, Geomorphology, etc.

Geographic coordinates are the latitudes and longitudes of a location. They create a systematic network of lines that may be used to indicate the position of numerous earth surface features. The location, distance, and direction of numerous points can be easily established using these coordinates. Two reference lines, known as latitude and longitude, determine the places on the Earth’s surface. The many differences between latitude and longitude are listed in the table below.

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What is Latitude?

A geographic coordinate that indicates the north-south position of a point on the Earth’s surface is known as latitude. The term “latitude” refers to an angle that extends from 0° at the Equator to 90° (North or South) at the poles. As circles parallel to the equator, parallels or lines of constant latitude run east-west. The terminology latitude and longitude are used to describe the exact location of features on the surface of the Earth. The term latitude should be used to refer to the geodetic latitude, which is explained below. In a nutshell, geodetic latitude is the angle formed between a point and the equatorial plane by a vector perpendicular to the ellipsoidal surface.

What is Longitude?

The east-west position of a point on the Earth’s surface, or the surface of a celestial body, is specified by longitude. The Greek letter lambda represents an angular measurement. It is commonly given in degrees. Meridians (lines that run from pole to pole) link sites of the same longitude together. By agreement, the prime meridian passes near the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, and is designated as 0° longitude. Longitudes that are positive are east of the prime meridian, whereas those that are negative are west.

Longitude and time are inextricably related due to the earth’s rotation. Local time changes with longitude, with a 15-degree shift in longitude equating to a one-hour difference in local time. Longitude can be established by comparing local time to an absolute measure of time. The absolute time may be determined by a celestial occurrence observable from both locations, such as a moon eclipse, or by a time signal communicated by telegraph or wireless, depending on the era. The concept is simple, but in practice, developing a reliable method of measuring longitude took centuries and the efforts of some of the world’s most brilliant scientists.

The north-south position of a place is determined by its latitude, which is generally the angle between the local vertical and the equatorial plane. The geometrical or astronomical vertical is commonly used to calculate longitude. Because of tiny fluctuations in Earth’s gravitational field, this may fluctuate slightly from the gravitational vertical.

How to Find Latitude and Longitude on Google Maps 

To find the latitude and longitude of my location, one has to open the google maps app on an Android phone or phablet. Later, they have to touch and hold the area of ‘my location’, which isn’t labelled in the red pin. Now, they will be able to find the coordinates of latitude and longitude in the search box.

What is the Latitude and Longitude of India?

If you’re a geography student, the latitude and longitude of Indian states may be of interest to you. The latitude and longitude of a location on Earth can be used to determine its exact location. India’s longitude and latitude are 20′ north and 77′ east, respectively.

India is the world’s seventh-largest country and the second-most populous. India is 3,287,590 square kilometres in size, surrounded by Bangladesh, Burma, Bhutan, China, Nepal, and Pakistan.

It has a coastline of more than 7,000 kilometres and is bordered by the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. It is made up of 28 states and eight union territories. Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore are India’s most populous metropolises.

Information Technology, Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Business Management, Travel and Tourism, Financial Consultancy, Real Estate, Consultancies, Educational Institutes, and Construction are all growing sectors in the Indian economy.

Difference Between Latitude and Longitude 

Interesting Facts about Latitude and Longitude 

• The invisible horizontal line that goes around the Earth from East to West is known as latitude. It starts at the Equator, with 0° coordinates.

• The Equator separates the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of the Earth.

• The Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Indonesia, and Brazil have a latitude of 0°.

• In the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, latitude lines run parallel to the Equator, commencing at 0° and counting to 90° North and South.

• 90°N (North) is the latitude coordinate for the North Pole, while 90°S is the latitude coordinate for the South Pole (South).

• The invisible vertical line that goes around the Earth from North to South is known as longitude. The Prime Meridian is located at 0° latitude and longitude.

• Greenwich and Cambridge (UK), Lleida (Spain), and Le Havre (France) are among the cities with a longitude of 0°. (France)

• Along the Prime Meridian, longitude divides the planet into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

• The longitude of 0° is established in Greenwich, London, because the Prime Meridian started there. It crosses the United Kingdom, France, Africa, and various seas.

• The longitude coordinates of New York and Cairo are 74°W (West) and 31°E, respectively (East).

• To ensure accuracy, latitude and longitude coordinates are written as decimals with up to four decimal places. New York, for example, is located at 74.0059°W.

• You may plot any point on the Earth by combining a latitude and a longitude coordinate. For example, 64.1265° N, 21.8174° W will lead you to Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital.

We know that life only exists on our planet Earth. There are all the things available that sustain life. It is called a Blue planet and it is the only one where water in liquid form is present. Here, human settlements exist. So, what are the various domains that make our planet a unique one from others? In this article, we will be talking about the major domains of the Earth and it is related to all concepts which will help the students to understand the basic topic of the domains of Earth. This article will surely increase your knowledge and help you with your studies.

Major Domains of the Earth

The surface of our planet is complex where different domains or zones interact or affect or overlap each other. Domain meaning in Geography is simply related to the specific location and which is related to any geographical feature. Different domains of Earth are:

• Lithosphere (land)

• Hydrosphere (water)

• Atmosphere (air)

• Biosphere (life)

Lithosphere

The solid part of the Earth which consists of rocks or soil etc. is called the Lithosphere. The layers of soil contain nutrients that sustain organisms whereas rocks are also sources of various minerals. Our Earth can be divided into two parts, namely the continents and the oceans. The elevation of the land is taken from the level of the sea which is taken as zero because the level of its sea remains the same everywhere. The highest point of the Earth which is 8,848 metres above sea level is Mount Everest.

Continents of the Earth

You will find seven continents that are separated by the water bodies on our planet Earth. These are explained below and check out the map given below:

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1. Asia

• It is the largest continent.

• In terms of land area, it covers about one-third of the total land.

• It is present in the Eastern Hemisphere.

• There are 48 countries as recognized by the United Nations.

• The largest country in the world i.e. Russia is present here.

• It is also known as the most populous continent as well.

• The two most populous countries are present here.

• It also consists of the World’s highest mountain ranges.

• The Ural Mountains separate it from Europe and the Sinai Peninsula and Red sea separate it from Africa.

2. Africa

• It is the second largest.

• All the three lines that are the Equator, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn pass through this.

• Most of its part lies in the Northern Hemisphere.

• The Great Sahara Desert of the World is present here.

• The longest river in the world is also present here.

• 54 countries are here.

• The famous and second-largest lake in the world i.e. Lake Victoria is also part of this continent.

3. North America

• It is the third -largest.

• A very narrow strip of land namely the isthmus of Panama connects it with South America.

• It is present in the North-West Hemisphere.

• It consists of 23 countries.

• The largest island of the world namely Greenland is part of this.

• The largest freshwater lake namely Lake superior is part of this continent.

• The Bering strait separates it from Russia or we can say from Asia.

4. South America

• It is the 4th largest.

• It mostly lies in the Southern Hemisphere.

• The lungs of our planet i.e. the great Amazon forest are present here.

• The longest river namely Amazon also flows here.

• The longest mountain ranges namely the Andes are also part of this continent.

• Twelve  countries are present here.

5. Antarctica 

• It is the 5th largest.

• It completely lies in the Southern Hemisphere.

• The south pole is the centre of this continent.

• It is covered with ice sheets.

• No human settlements are there.

• Research stations of many countries are present here.

• The names of such research stations are Maitri and Dakshin Gangotri.

6. Europe

• It comes at 6th number in terms of size.

• The combination of Europe and Asia is called Eurasia.

• It is surrounded by different water bodies from the three sides.

• The Arctic Circle passes through it.

• Fifty countries are present here.

• It has a few countries which it shares with other continents like Asia and Africa.

• The smallest country namely the Vatican City of the world is part of this.

7. Australia

• It is the smallest continent.

• It is actually an island country.

• It lies in the Southern Hemisphere.

• It has 6 states.

• It is the largest country without any land border.

• The biggest coral reef in the world namely the Great Barrier Reef is present here.

Hydrosphere 

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This is one of the Important domains of the Earth. It is the only planet where water is there in liquid form. Our planet is also called the Blue planet. Around 71 % of the Earth is covered with water. It has water in different forms, namely oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, etc. Most of the water is present in oceans which is more than 97% of the total water and that is not fit for human use because it is salty. Only a small percentage of freshwater is present on our planet which is fit for human purposes.

Oceans

They cover around 71 percent of the total area of our planet and there are five oceans in the world which are mentioned below. 

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1. Pacific

• It is the largest ocean.

• The equator divides it into two parts, namely the North Pacific and the South Pacific.

• The meaning of the term Pacific is peaceful.

• It is also the deepest ocean.

• It covers around 30% of the Earth.

2. Atlantic

• It means “Sea of Atlas”.

• It is the second largest.

• It covers around 25% of the Earth.

• The equator divides it into North Atlantic and South Atlantic.

3. Indian

• It is the third -largest.

• Its name comes from the Indian peninsula.

• It is the only ocean to have a name from a country.

• The most famous Suez canal is part of this.

4. Southern

• It is present in the southern hemisphere.

• It surrounds the continent of Antarctica.

• The other names of this ocean are the Antarctic ocean, South Polar Ocean, and Austral ocean.

• It is the youngest ocean.

• It covers only 6% of the Earth and it is the second smallest.

5. Arctic

• It is the smallest ocean.

• It is present beyond 60°N.

• It covers around 3% of the Earth.

• The countries that share boundaries with it are Canada and the United States, Russia, Norway, Iceland, and Greenland.

Atmosphere

The thin layer of air which is a combination of various gases around the Earth is one of the most important domains and an integral part of the planet. This layer is known as the atmosphere. The composition of various gases in the atmosphere are mentioned below:

It extends to a height of about 1600 km and on the basis of various properties like temperature or composition etc., iIt can be divided into five layers which are mentioned below:

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Exosphere

The density of gases varies with location and it keeps on decreasing as we go up along with the temperature as well. This is the reason why climbers or mountaineers have to take oxygen cylinders with them because they feel breathing problems at that much height. 

Biosphere

It is the combination of all the above-mentioned domains on the Earth and it is the zone where life actually exists. It is the most unique domain of planet Earth which can not be seen on any other planets. Various species from microorganisms to animals etc. all are connected with each other for survival including humans. All three domains interact here and also affect each other because everyone wants to fulfil his needs. 

For example,

• Deforestation for wood.

• Clearing of land for agriculture activities.

• Natural calamities like floods, and earthquakes affect the biosphere.

• Discharge of industrial waste into the water or harmful gases in the air.

• An increase in carbon dioxide leads to an increase in planet temperature.

Conclusion: 

Thus, in this article, we have covered the various different domains of Earth properly. We have learned about the oceans, the continents, atmosphere, biosphere, etc. This article will help you to understand various domains and domain examples Science and Geography which usually talks about. As we have read that the interaction of all the domains also affects each other and the temperature of the planet is also rising day by day, we have to make a balance in all these domains, otherwise, the problems will continue to rise. This article will teach the students of Class 6 and upper classes to get iImportant and basic information about various Earth’s domains. Besides this, it will also increase your knowledge about important geographical concepts. 

We have read about all the major domains of the Earth’s planet which makes it unique. Let’s practice some FAQs.:

The market of the mineral bottled water industry is expected to grow by 9.39% annually in 2021 – 2025. The countries that use more water for drinking purposes are China, India and the United States of America and as compared to the global estimations, the USA has generated more revenue in this category. Bottles produced by this industry take hundreds of years to decompose but the importance of mineral water has been increased ever since in order to maintain good health. In this article, we will only be talking about mineral water, its composition, merits or demerits, mineral water company or brands, etc. This article will help you in understanding one of the concepts that play a great role in our daily lives.

Introduction

Water is considered one of the most essential elements for the survival of living organisms and our planet is blue because it is mostly covered with water. There is the presence of liquid water on our planet to a large extent but only 2.5% of the water present on the planet is useful for drinking and required purposes and the rest of the water is salt water which is not useful for humankind and other living organisms.

Even the human body weight is 60% represented by the total body water. It is present in the body and performs various functions including carrying the nutrients. It plays a great role in maintaining good health and good health is essential for growth as well as the development of the body and longer life and a good diet or water intake with or through food is an essential part of this. Whenever we talk about good health, the importance of healthy water can not be ignored and these days tap water contains a lot of impurities. Thus, people are shifting towards the consumption of mineral water for a decade and it has become an important part of today’s life.

Meaning 

The water that contains minerals or gases in dissolved form and that occurs in nature, is called mineral water and this naturally occurring water is collected and bottled for drinking purposes. It consists of calcium carbonate, potassium, magnesium sulphate as well as sodium sulphate and other gases such as carbon dioxide as well as hydrogen sulfide. Besides the occurrence of natural water, it is also produced artificially by adding required elements and aerating with carbon dioxide. The presence of minerals varies in the natural and artificial created mineral water and sometimes it is also less than the tap water whereas sometimes the presence of some minerals are more than required which can be harmful for human consumption. Himalayan mineral water is an example of natural mineral water and when this water is packed in bottles, it becomes bottled water.

Definitions

Some of the definitions of mineral water are mentioned below:

• ” It is natural water from underground, containing dissolved minerals that are believed to be good for your health.” – Cambridge Dictionary.

• “Mineral water is water that comes out of the ground naturally and is considered healthy to drink.” Or “water containing dissolved mineral salts or gases, esp. such water is considered healthful to drink” – Collins Dictionary.

• “It is water naturally or artificially infused with mineral salts or gases (such as carbon dioxide). – Merriam-Webster.

Packaged Mineral Water

When water is being collected from various sources and is packed in bottles or other containers after processing and sealing, it is known as packaged mineral water. The sources of mineral water can be spring water or groundwater, wells, fresh streams or rivers, etc. The spring water or surface water has more mineral content than tap water and after some processing, this water is being collected and packed in bottles and other types of containers. Every mineral water company uses these natural sources of water for water collection and for producing packaged bottled water which is considered as more healthy. 

Composition

FDA ie. The Food and Drug Administration of the USA says that 250 parts of total dissolved solids per million must be contained in the mineral water. Mostly, the minerals which are present are calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonate, zinc and iron. The mineral water goes under some processing at its source point, where adding or removing carbon dioxide is done along with the removal of toxic substances such as arsenic etc. 

Types

The mineral water can be classified into various types on the basis of the presence of the above-mentioned minerals and these types are written as under:

• Sulphate Mineral Water: It is characterized by the presence of sulphate anions. Any cations with sulphate highlight the properties of the water such as magnesium sulphate or sodium sulphate type of mineral water help in constipation issues or help in improving the digestion system. Besides these, it is a useful mineral in foetal growth & development as well as various metabolic & cellular functions.

• Chloride Mineral Water: In this mineral water, chloride is the most important mineral present which has very scarce health effects. This mineral is often present along with the combination of sodium and these two are the main elements of salt mineral water.

• Bicarbonate Mineral Water: This kind of mineral water has low mineral content and is also kind of cold as well as alkaline water and it also has diuretic properties. Positive effects of this water can be seen on the digestive system or neutralise the acid secretion.

• Calcic Mineral Water: In this, calcium is present as the major element which is important for muscles, nerves and blood system. Calcium-rich water is essential for the bones strength.

• Magnesium Mineral Water: This mineral water contains magnesium as their major mineral content which can be found along with other minerals as well such as magnesium sulphate. It helps in bowel functions and improving constipation issues as well as premenstrual syndrome, etc.

• Fluoride Mineral Water: Here, the major mineral content is fluoride and good for children which helps in reducing decaying incidents as well as good for bones. Its intake should be kept low as high intakes of this kind of mineral can lead to carcinogenic effects and other toxic effects as well.

• Ferrous Mineral Water: Sulphate ferrous mineral water, as well as bicarbonate ferrous mineral water, are the categories under it. The former is arsenic-rich as well as concentrated whereas the latter is poor in arsenic content.

Benefits

It is always suggested to use mineral water to have good health. Let’s study what are the various benefits of using mineral water. These are mentioned below:

• Mineral water is the source of magnesium. These types of nutrients regulate blood pressure, blood glucose levels and nerve function.

• The amount of magnesium in water is from 1 milligram per litre (mg/l) to more than 120 milligrams per litre.

• People who have high blood pressure may drink mineral water as it is rich in magnesium. It helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Drinking 1 litres of water a day decreased the blood pressure.

• Mineral water may contain large amounts of calcium, magnesium and potassium which helps in blood circulation.

• It is necessary for building and maintaining strong bones. It also regulates and rhythm of the heartbeat.

• Mineral water also helps in promoting bone strength as it is the source of calcium.

• By drinking mineral water, we take magnesium as in our diet which helps to prevent constipation and improve the health of the digestive system.

Side Effects

While having various benefits, it also has some limitations or side effects which are mentioned below:

• Microplastics are a potential concern. Microplastics in bottled mineral water is not safe. Plastic containers contain bisphenol A or BPA. These chemicals harm normal hormone function.

• Carbonated water has a lower pH than regular water which is acidic in nature and can affect the teeth.

• The water is contained in the plastic bottles and the large production of plastic bottles produce large impacts on the environment because these bottles take hundreds of years to begin the decomposition process and a new kind of plastic pollution can be seen because of this.

• The mineral water contains various minerals and these can be varied and sometimes the presence of any mineral more than required can be harmful for human consumption.

Additional Information

Branded mineral water is usually taken by people for consumption as they believe that water has more mineral content and certainly better than tap water. Bottled mineral water is a billion-dollar industry these days and every year billions of bottles are produced. In various regions of the world, you will find different mineral water company which assure you to provide the best mineral water. Some of the known brands in this category are Nestle waters, Hint, Bisleri, Mountain valley spring company, PepsiCo, Coca Cola, Acqua Panna, Fiji Group, water perrier, etc.

Fun Fact

Do you know the Himalayan mineral water is a great source of minerals and it is naturally occurring mineral water and it is safe for drinking and other purposes as it is fresh water coming from the mountains? This water is raw which comes to us after filtering through various layers of the rocks and mountains and this Himalayan mineral water is a great source of bottled water as well for various companies.

Conclusion

To sum up in the end we can say that mineral water undoubtedly plays a vital role in today’s world in maintaining good health by meeting quality water demands. Though it is available in nature but on the other hand can be produced artificially and artificial things are prone to harmness. Besides this, it is good for better health but not for the environment as the number of production of plastic bottles is increasing day by day which is degrading the environment by creating plastic and other types of pollution. Thus, proper laws and management are required in this field not only to regulate the mineral content in the water but also to adopt environmentally friendly policies.

Ocean acidification means a significant reduction in the pH level of the ocean over an extended course of time, caused principally by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere. The pH refers to the potential or power of hydrogen. 

For over 200 years, or since the industrial revolution, the consolidation of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere has risen due to the burning of fossil fuels and change in land usage. The ocean absorbs about 30% of the CO₂ which is released in the atmosphere, and as levels of atmospheric CO₂ rises, so do the levels in the ocean.

Ocean Acidification Causes

Carbon is the criminal. The main culprit behind the acidification in the ocean is the extra amount of carbon dioxide that humans have given rise to in the atmosphere by cutting down forests, burning fossil fuels, and other actions.

Impacts of Ocean Acidity on Ocean Life

The pH of the ocean varies within limits as an outcome of natural processes, and ocean organisms are well-adapted to sustain the alterations that they normally undergo. Some marine species could be able to adapt to more extreme changes—however many would suffer, and there will possibly be extinctions. A more acidic ocean won’t dismantle all marine life in the sea, but the increase in seawater acidity content by 30% that we have observed is already affecting some ocean organisms. Let’s check out how it impacts the atmosphere and habitat:

1. Coral Reefs: 

Acidification may constrain the growth of coral by corroding pre-existing coral skeletons while concurrently slowing the growth of new ones and the weaker reefs that out-turn will be more susceptible to erosion. This erosion will not only emerge from storm waves, but also from animals that pierce into or eat coral.

2. Mussels, Oysters, Urchins, And Starfish: 

Some of the serious effects on these organisms outstrip adult shell-building, but Mussels’ byssal threads, with which they hold on to rocks in the pounding surf, can’t cling well in acidic water. For time being, oyster larvae fail to even start growing their shells. In the initial 48 hours of life, oyster larvae experience a huge growth spurt, building their shells rapidly so they can begin feeding. But the more acidic seawater eats away at their shells before they can develop; this has already induced massive oyster die-offs in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

3. Zooplankton (Tiny Drifting Animals): 

Oceans consist of the highest amount of actively cycled carbon in the world and are also quite significant in storing carbon. When shelled zooplanktons die and sink down to the seafloor, they carry their calcium carbonate shells along with them, which are accumulated as rock or sediment and stored for the future. This is a crucial way that carbon dioxide is eliminated from the atmosphere, decelerating the rise in temperature induced by the greenhouse effect. 

These little organisms reproduce rapidly so that they may be able to adapt to acidity comparatively better than massive, slow-reproducing animals. However, experiments in the carbon dioxide seeps (where pH scale is naturally low) have discovered that foraminifera are not capable of handling higher acidity very well, as their shells dissolve very quickly. One study even foresees that foraminifera from tropical areas will become extinct by the end of the century.

4. Plants and Algae: 

Plants and various algae may blossom under acidic conditions. These organisms form their energy by combining sunlight and carbon dioxide—thus extra carbon dioxide in the water doesn’t harm them, but helps.

How Carbon Dioxide Kills Ocean Life?

Acidification meaning must be clear to you by now. The oceans have always both absorbed and discharged carbon dioxide, commuting the carbon back and forth from the atmosphere to water. But the exchange happened gradually, usually over thousands or tens of thousands of years.

Humans have interrupted that slow exchange. In the middle of the 18th century, humans, since the start of the Industrial Revolution, humans have added some 400 billion tons of carbon to the environment. That’s a byproduct of the massive amounts of fossil fuels we burned for energy, the trees that have been cut down, the cement we’ve generated, and more.

The majority of carbon, in the gas, creates carbon dioxide (CO₂), which remains in the atmosphere, where it traps heat and bestows planetary warming. But every year, the ocean sucks up about 25% of all the extra CO₂.