---
title: "Where water is found on Earth"
description: "Identify water in oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, underground and the air, and recognise liquid water, solid ice and gaseous water vapour"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/where-water-is-found-on-earth-mt_nRF_VRntrW
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/where-water-is-found-on-earth-mt_nRF_VRntrW.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Where water is found on Earth

Identify water in oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, underground and the air, and recognise liquid water, solid ice and gaseous water vapour

Subject: Science · Area: Earth's Systems · Ages 7 to 8
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/where-water-is-found-on-earth-mt_nRF_VRntrW

## Ready when they can

- List where water is found on Earth: oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, underground, atmosphere
- Explain that water exists as liquid (rivers, oceans) and solid (ice, glaciers, snow)
- Recognise that most of Earth's water is in the oceans

## Lesson: Where water is found on Earth

Rivers, lakes, oceans and glaciers are surface water stores. Groundwater is water stored in spaces in soil and rock below ground. The air contains water too. Water vapour is invisible water in gas form. Clouds contain tiny liquid drops, ice crystals or both. These stores can be grouped by location: in the air, on the surface or below ground.

*(drawing: Rounded amounts: oceans hold about 97 of every 100 parts. All other stores together hold about 3 parts.)*

Ice and snow are solid water. Cooling liquid water enough makes it freeze. Warming ice can make it melt. A glacier is a large mass of ice that moves slowly. It forms as snow builds up and is pressed into ice. A piece of glacier ice that breaks into the sea is an iceberg.

Most of Earth's water is salty ocean water. Ice, groundwater, rivers, lakes and air hold much less altogether. Underground water may be hidden. Ice can be visible. Whether you can see water does not tell you whether it is solid or liquid.

**Recap.** Water is found in oceans, rivers, lakes, ice, underground and air. Most is ocean water. Ice is solid water; vapour is gas.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Shapes of land and water](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/shapes-of-land-and-water-mt_KsKLVW_ssY)
- [Heating & Cooling Changes](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/heating-and-cooling-changes-mt_Pl-nsjYGZ3)

## Opens up

- [The Five Oceans](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/the-five-oceans-mt_8QOeG3CuKc)
- [The Water Cycle](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/the-water-cycle-mt_fhqVdj4BYr)
- [How Earth systems interact](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-earth-systems-interact-mt_LKagN9GJPX)
- [Salt Water vs Fresh Water](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/salt-water-vs-fresh-water-mt_LsY4-T2fU7)