freshwater

Freshwater has much lower salinity than seawater. This topic is part of Water within Science & Nature. This page currently draws on 45 supporting questions, with answers and bonus facts available below.

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freshwater trivia questions

Freshwater contains relatively little what?

Answer: Salt

Bonus fact: Freshwater has much lower salinity than seawater.

Most of Earth's unfrozen surface freshwater is stored in what?

Answer: Lakes

Bonus fact: Lakes hold far more surface freshwater than rivers.

What percentage of all Earth's water is roughly freshwater?

Answer: About 3%

Bonus fact: Most of Earth's water is salty ocean water.

In a freshwater aquarium, what beneficial bacteria process toxic ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate?

Answer: Nitrifying bacteria

Bonus fact: Biological filtration depends on nitrifying bacteria that help convert harmful nitrogen compounds.

An estuary is a place where freshwater from rivers mixes with what?

Answer: Seawater

Bonus fact: Estuaries are coastal zones where rivers meet the sea.

What is the largest freshwater lake by surface area?

Answer: Lake Superior

Bonus fact: Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake by surface area.

Which lake contains the greatest volume of liquid freshwater on Earth?

Answer: Lake Baikal

Bonus fact: Lake Baikal is also the world's deepest lake.

Alewives can live in the ocean and migrate into freshwater to do what?

Answer: Spawn

Bonus fact: Anadromous alewives reproduce in rivers and lakes.

Which physiological ability lets bull sharks tolerate freshwater?

Answer: Osmoregulation

Bonus fact: Their kidneys and glands adjust salt and water balance.

Which major river is the largest source of freshwater to Chesapeake Bay?

Answer: Susquehanna River

Bonus fact: The Susquehanna provides a large share of the bay's freshwater inflow.

Lake Baikal contains roughly what fraction of the world's unfrozen surface freshwater?

Answer: About one-fifth

Bonus fact: Its enormous volume makes it the largest freshwater lake by volume.

An estuary is where freshwater mixes with what?

Answer: Saltwater

Bonus fact: Estuaries occur where rivers meet the sea.

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