How come the oceans haven't been absorbed?

[Flatland]

How come the Earth's oceans didn't get absorbed or slowly leak into the ground over the past 4.5 billion years? Especially when the Earth has tectonic activities and the crust constantly split open and closes...etc.

 

[D H]

Thread closed pending merge/cleanup.

Update:
The bulk of the posts in this thread has been moved into Flatland's 18 month old thread on the exact same issue. Here's that old thread, now with new responses: [thread]564079[/thread].

This thread will remain closed.

 

[Huyen401]

That's a great question! The Earth's oceans actually did go through a process of absorption and leakage over the past 4.5 billion years, but it was a slow and gradual process. The Earth's crust is constantly changing due to tectonic activity, as you mentioned, but it also has a protective layer called the lithosphere that prevents water from seeping into the ground.

Additionally, the Earth's atmosphere plays a crucial role in regulating the water cycle. As water evaporates from the oceans, it forms clouds and eventually falls back to the surface as precipitation. This cycle helps to replenish the oceans and keeps them from drying up.

It's also important to note that the Earth's oceans are constantly being replenished by sources such as rivers, streams, and groundwater. So while there may be some leakage and absorption happening, it's balanced out by these sources of water.

Overall, the Earth's natural processes have been able to maintain the balance of water on our planet for billions of years. It's truly a remarkable and delicate system.