The answer to this question is slightly more complex than a simple “who. ” While no single person can be credited with the concept of water, the history of water as we know it today began long before humans even existed.
Water can be found in nature in one form or another, and is believed to be responsible for the formation of life on Earth.
How water was formed is largely unknown, however the most popular theory suggests that water was created by asteroids and comets impacting the Earth’s surface. These impacts caused massive explosions that created chemical and nuclear reactions, producing vaporized hydrogen and oxygen, two basic elements that combine to form water.
The theory is even backed up by science: Studies of hydrogen and oxygen atoms around the universe confirm that water formed from hydrogen and oxygen existed long before Earth was formed. While no one can officially take credit for inventing water, the giant impact theory provides us with a better understanding of its origin and its place in the universe.
Who first discovered water?
No one person can be credited with the discovery of water as it has been around since the formation of Earth. However, ancient Greek philosophers like Thales of Miletus (c. 624–545 BC) and Empedocles (c.
490–430 BC) are credited with the early ideas of water being an important natural element and the source of life on Earth. In the early 17th century, Dutch lens-maker and scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723) discovered the first microscopic organisms living in water with the use of a microscope.
His findings also suggested that water was not just a form of H2O as initially thought, but was a complex mixture of substances. Over the years, scientists have studied water and discovered more about its physical, chemical and biological properties.
In terms of modern scientific research, water has been studied in a number of areas, such as biochemistry, ecology, hydrology, meteorology, oceanography, and toxicology.
When was water discovered on Earth?
Water has been present on Earth since its formation about 4. 6 billion years ago. The early Earth was very different from what it is now; it was hotter, its atmosphere was very different, and it was probably entirely covered with liquid water.
It is generally believed the water came from accretion of material from comets and other objects, which bombarded the Earth early in its development. As the planet cooled, more and more of the Earth’s surface became water-covered, creating oceans, lakes, and rivers.
Over the last four billion years, as the Earth’s temperature has changed and the continents have grown and shifted, the amount of water on Earth has stayed roughly the same, even though the locations of different bodies of water have changed.
How did water first appear on Earth?
It is believed that water first appeared on Earth around 4. 3 billion years ago shortly after the planet formed. Scientists theorize that water was created through a natural process called outgassing.
Outgassing is the release of gases from the Earth’s surface due to volcanic eruptions, resulting in the formation of water vapor in the atmosphere. Over time, the water vapor condensed, cooled and rained down onto the planet’s surface, filling the early oceans and creating Earth’s first source of water.
More recent evidence suggests that much of Earth’s primitive water might have been brought to the planet’s surface by asteroids and comets that crashed onto the planet during its early years. During collisions, these icy space rocks would have released volatiles, i.
e. , the gases and the frozen water, which would then have melted on contact with the Earth’s warmer atmosphere and created a vast amount of water on the planet’s surface.
While scientists still debate which of these processes was more influential in creating Earth’s initial water supply, it is clear that whatever the cause, Earth’s early years were marked by the formation of a primitive ocean and the evolution of life.
Many researchers believe that the origin of life itself is closely linked to water’s evolution, since water is essential for chemistry and biology, which both require liquid to exist and interact.
What is the origin of water?
The origin of water is a subject of scientific debate that has been ongoing for centuries—and even today, the precise source of water on our planet remains a mystery.
One of the oldest theories suggests that water may have been delivered to Earth from comets, asteroids, and meteorites from outer space. The theory, called “impact delivery”, suggests that as comets and meteorites collided with the newly forming Earth, they brought with them frozen water.
Over millions of years, these icy ejecta thawed and became our oceans, seas, and rivers.
Another popular theory, called “outgassing”, suggests that the majority of Earth’s water was created during a dramatic geological event called “outgassing”. Outgassing is thought to have occurred while the Earth was newly formed and volcanos across the planet released a tremendous amount of water vapor into the atmosphere.
This vapor condensed into clouds, rained down onto Earth, and eventually filled our oceans and seas.
It’s also possible that the Earth’s original atmosphere contained some water vapor, formed from chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen molecules in the early solar system.
While it’s still unknown what the precise origin of Earth’s oceans and seas is, evidence from recent scientific studies suggests that a combination of all these theories may be possible.
What was on Earth before water?
Before there was liquid water on Earth, the planet was covered in a primitive atmosphere made up of nitrogen, methane, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and other molecules. This atmosphere was much thicker and less breathable than the atmosphere we know today.
It also was much hotter, with temperatures reaching up to 700°C. During this period, water vapor was present in the atmosphere, and the primitive atmosphere may even have been largely composed of water, but all of it was in the form of vapor and did not exist as liquid.
The planet was likely also bombarded by asteroids and comets, which brought water to the atmosphere and surface of the planet in the form of ice, as well as other molecules. This bombardment likely lasted for millions of years, and it’s believed that by the end of this period, Earth’s atmosphere and surface had accumulated an amount of water equivalent to what is seen today.
This water vapor then began to condense, forming clouds, and eventually the oceans we see today.
How old is the water we drink?
The average age of water we drink depends on whether we are talking about bottled water or water from the tap. Bottled water can be sourced from both surface water sources, such as rivers and lakes, or ground water sources, such as aquifers.
In either case, the water can range anywhere from a few days old to millions of years old.
On the other hand, tap water is most commonly sourced from surface water sources, although some communities draw water from deep wells and aquifers. Depending on the source, the water could be anywhere from days to hundreds of years old.
Generally, surface water has a shorter residence time in a watershed and is therefore considered to be “younger” water than an aquifer.
The residence time of surface water is also affected by water storage facilities such as man-made reservoirs and lakes. Water stored in these structures can range from weeks to years old—it all depends on how much water is in the reservoir or lake and how long the water has been in the structure.
Similarly, water that is treated in a water treatment plant can range anywhere from hours to days old.
How was there water on Earth before oxygen?
Before oxygen was present in Earth’s atmosphere, there was still water on the planet. Water was likely present before the atmosphere was formed, and is thought to have been delivered when comets, asteroids, and other extraterrestrial objects collided with the Earth.
Long before the atmosphere contained oxygen, there was evidence that the Earth contained oceans and liquid water on its surface. This water is thought to have come from the meteors and asteroids that bombarded the Earth early in its history.
In addition to water, these objects contained other minerals and molecules that were necessary to form a habitable environment. These minerals and molecules would have interacted with the Earth’s atmosphere over the billions of years of its formation to produce the atmosphere we have today.
Thus, the water present on Earth in the early stages of its formation did not require oxygen to exist, but was instead a product of extraterrestrial objects and the interactions of their minerals and molecules with the early Earth’s atmosphere.
Where did the first water came?
As there is much academic debate surrounding this topic. However, the most widely accepted explanation is that the Earth’s water was delivered to our planet via comet and meteor impacts early in its history.
It is believed that between 4. 3 and 3. 8 billion years ago, a time period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment, icy comets and meteoroids pelted our planet, delivering large quantities of water molecules to the surface via their impacts.
This event has been credited with the delivery of most of the water found in our planet’s oceans and atmosphere today.
Why was there no water on Earth when it first formed?
When Earth first formed, it was a barren, desolate world, devoid of liquid water or even an atmosphere. Earth’s formation took place about 4. 5 billion years ago, when the Solar System was still in its early stages of development.
During this time, the planetary bodies were subjected to tremendous amounts of heat due to the collisions and mergers of gas, dust and ice present in the primordial solar nebula. This intense heat vaporized any liquid water that may have been present on Earth.
But even before Earth’s formation, the Sun’s energy was so strong that it pushed all the water vapor deeper and beyond the terrestrial planets such as Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Over time, these early planets were stripped of their water and were unable to hold on to what little water vapor was still present.
The intense heat caused it all to be vaporized. This was further exacerbated by the fact that Earth’s gravity was still weak and was unable to hold onto the water vapor. As a result, when Earth first formed there was no liquid water available, just a dry and lifeless world.
What were two ways the Earth began to have water on it?
There are two primary theories for how the Earth developed its watern supply: delivery from comets and asteroids, and delivery from gas clouds.
The first theory is that water was delivered to Earth from comets and asteroids that contained frozen water. This is the most widely accepted theory for water on Earth, and scientists believe it began happening at least 4 billion years ago.
Rocky and metal asteroids from the outer parts of the solar system likely contained frozen water in ice and carbon-dioxide forms, which they delivered to the Earth’s surface through impacts. Those impacts also may have brought life-forming materials like nitrogen and phosphates, which are essential building blocks of life.
For example, scientists believe the torrent of icy asteroids and comets 4 billion years ago, known as Late Heavy Bombardment, kickstarted the Earth’s water cycle by releasing about 100 billion tons of water.
The second theory for the Earth’s water supply is that it was delivered from intergalactic clouds of gas and dust. According to this theory, the Earth was seeded with water molecules when material from a nearby gas cloud was pulled by the Sun’s gravity and eventually developed into the Earth.
Some planets in the solar system known as “instant planets” that didn’t coalesce but instead were born directly out of gas clouds, and those gas clouds had water molecules. Earth was likely similar in the beginning and was eventually “cooked up” into a compact body by the Sun, bringing the molecules of water together.
Is water on Earth older than sun?
No, water on Earth is not older than the sun. Water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Hydrogen and oxygen were both formed during the Big Bang, but the sun was created within a few million years of the Big Bang.
So, while water on Earth is very old, it is not older than the sun.
How did the world start from nothing?
The origin of the universe is still a mystery, though numerous theories exist on how the universe began. One popular theory is the Big Bang, which suggests that the universe started from a single, incredibly dense and hot point that then rapidly expanded, eventually giving rise to the galaxies, stars, and planets we observe today.
Another popular theory is the Steady State Theory, which suggests that as the universe expands, new matter is continuously created to fill the empty space.
Whatever the actual beginning of the universe may be, it is clear that it has evolved significantly over time. This evolution is believed to have been driven by quantum processes which eventually gave rise to the laws of physics and the fundamental forces that govern the universe.
As matter and energy interacted, galaxies, stars and planets were formed through the process of accretion. These planets then developed their atmospheres and even life eventually came to exist.
Given the complexity and variety of life we see in the universe, it seems unlikely that the world started from nothing. Rather, it is thought that the world began with some underlying force or primordial framework that has evolved over time.
Who created the universe?
The origin and age of the universe is an ongoing topic of discussion among scientists and other scholars. While the answer to who created the universe may never be known, there are some theories regarding how the universe came to exist.
The most popular and accepted theory is Big Bang Theory, which states that the universe began approximately 13. 8 billion years ago with the rapid expansion of a hot and dense state known as the singularity.
This expansion is thought to have been triggered by a cosmic force known as inflation. The Big Bang explains the origin, expansion, and cooling of the universe over billions of years, and It is believed that gravity then began to coalesce clouds of gas and dust in the universe into the stars, galaxies, and planets that we see today.
Other theories, such as the Steady State Theory and the Cyclic Model, are also accepted by some, in which the universe either expands and contracts in an infinite cycle or infinitely renews itself without beginning or end.
What is the first thing that existed on Earth?
The very first thing that existed on Earth is believed to have been hydrogen and helium gas, which were scattered throughout the universe in the Big Bang. These gases eventually coalesced into clouds that then compressed, forming the first stars and galaxies.
As these stars evolved, they generated heavy elements that produced our solar system and the Earth, which existed in a molten state for around 500 million years. About 4. 5 billion years ago, the Earth had cooled enough to form a crust and the first proteins and amino acids could form.
As these organic molecules were exposed to ultraviolet radiation, they combined into more complex molecules, which eventually became the first living cells. These cells were the first form of life on Earth.
