Sea and river are common water bodies found on the earth. People can see water bodies such as rivers and the sea covering the earth’s surface. The contribution of sea and river is high for the plants on the earth’s land. River and sea help humans in many ways, such as agriculture and daily survival activities. Both rivers and seas are different from each other in many factors.
River vs Sea
The main difference between river and sea is that river is small in size and covers less surface of the earth. On the other hand, the sea is bigger and covers more surface area of the earth. The water present in the river is less than the sea. The quality of water is different for both sea and river.
The river contains freshwater that is good for daily use. The rivers may join an ocean as they flow naturally. The mineral content in the river water is less than in the sea. River water is easy to access as everyone can use the water without much effort. River water can get used as drinking water after proper purification and filtration.
Sea is a water body that contains water with high mineral levels. The size of the sea is more than a river or lake. The water in the sea is not suitable for drinking purpose as they are salty. The contribution of the sea is huge in the cycles of the earth, such as water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles. The sea is a home for flowers and plants.
Comparison Table Between River and Sea
What is River?
The river is a long water body with freshwater that helps humans in many ways. The river is an easy-to-access water body. The water availability in a river is less than at sea. The thickness of the river is less than a sea. The river flows to meet the sea or ocean at some point. Sometimes, due to many reasons, the river may not meet the sea as it may dry out.
The role of the river is huge in the hydrological cycle. The river covers less percentage of the earth’s surface. According to experts, the river flows cover 0.1 per cent of the earth’s land. You will find many rivers in the whole world. Some of the most important rivers are the Amazon river, Amur river, Nile river, and Lena river. Most of the rivers start their journey from mountains.
The growing pollution affects the quality of river water. The water of the river is not safe for drinking without any treatments or purification methods. In the village, people use river water in their daily lives and for agricultural purposes. Flood due to the river is not common but can happen in some regions.
The river floods don’t affect the area to a huge extent. The rivers present worldwide offer many water activities such as swimming and water skiing to the people.
What is Sea?
A sea is a collection of various water bodies together. The thickness and depth of the sea are more than a river. A sea is not a long-running water body but covers the majority of the earth’s surface. The water of the sea is not suitable for the human body if any treatment is not done to it. The minerals present in the seawater are huge.
The presence of the sea helps in controlling and adjusting the climatic condition of the earth. In the ancient period, people used the sea as the path to travel to various countries or places. The presence of the sea is vital for power generation. Sea has a contribution to mineral extraction and human lives.
In the whole world, people would find seven seas that are important for human survival. Sea has no comparison with a river as they are formed differently. Sea floods are common and can affect nearby areas. This is the reason why many countries have no city or state near to the sea.
Nowadays, the sea is one of the best places for performing water sports such as scuba diving, kayaking, and windsurfing. Seas are good for enjoying the water lives by people with good air and sand around it.
Main Differences Between River and Sea
- The river is a small but long flowy water body that doesn’t cover the majority of the earth’s land. On the other hand, the sea is a big water body that covers the majority of the earth’s land.
- The river has fresh water, whereas the sea has salty water.
- The mineral present in river water is less than the seawater.
- The rivers form in a few years, whereas the sea takes billions or millions of years to form.
- The water flow speed of a river is more than the sea.
Conclusion
Sea and river are important water bodies of the earth. The size of the sea is larger than the rivers. On the other hand, rivers are longer than the sea. The sea and river are two different water bodies that are important for the survival of people. Sea doesn’t provide freshwater, whereas rivers are good sources of freshwater.
The main purpose of rivers is to join other water bodies. Some rivers join together to form a large water body like a sea. The number of the river is more than the number of the sea on earth.
References
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/24930965
- https://heinonline.org/hol-cgi-bin/get_pdf.cgi?handle=hein.journals/jled34§ion=27