What is Lake: Definition and 105 Discussions

A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, apart from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although like the much larger oceans, they form part of earth's water cycle. Lakes are distinct from lagoons which are generally coastal parts of the ocean. They are generally larger and deeper than ponds, which also lie on land, though there are no official or scientific definitions. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams, which are usually flowing in a channel on land. Most lakes are fed and drained by rivers and streams.
Natural lakes are generally found in mountainous areas, rift zones, and areas with ongoing glaciation. Other lakes are found in endorheic basins or along the courses of mature rivers, where a river channel has widened into a basin. In some parts of the world there are many lakes because of chaotic drainage patterns left over from the last Ice Age. All lakes are temporary over geologic time scales, as they will slowly fill in with sediments or spill out of the basin containing them.
Many lakes are artificial and are constructed for industrial or agricultural use, for hydro-electric power generation or domestic water supply, or for aesthetic, recreational purposes, or other activities.

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  1. Astronuc

    M5.5, Lake Almanor near Chester, California

    https://www.chicoer.com/2023/05/11/earthquake-shakes-north-state/ https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=40.16313,-121.3076&extent=40.34393,-120.94368&listOnlyShown=true&baseLayer=terrain https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc73886731/executive M 5.5 - 4km SW of East...
  2. anorlunda

    Viral spillover risk increases with climate change in High Arctic lake

    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2022.1073 This raises the specter of pre-human era pathogens being re-released because the permafrost is melting. AFAIK, even the sci-fi authors have not explored that idea.
  3. T

    Can aquaponics save water?

    I've seen a number of recent videos on lake Meade's declining water levels and as I have an amateur interest in aquaponics I've wondered if a large scale project might go some distance towards tackling at least one source of water loss, evaporation. Probably the biggest water draw is downstream...
  4. Glenstr

    Lake Hydrology Physics: Observing Shoreline Changes

    I live on a lake, and have for almost 3 decades now. Every year I watch shoreline changes, from year to year and shorter timespans, sometimes just days. The lake is large in surface area at 236 km2 (91 sq mi), but with an average depth of only 28' probably relatively small in volume for its...
  5. S

    Calculating Max Tension, Final Angle for Swinging on Rope Over Lake

    Please tell me if I need to post my solution for this.., but I just have a question more or less 'conceptual' question about (c). so I know that from Newton's 2nd law for centripetal acceleration --> ##F_{rope} - mgcos(\theta) = ma_n## where ##a_n = \frac {v^2}{R}## such that where the normal...
  6. Distern

    I Collision when a falling tank impacts the surface of a lake

    I'm writing a paper on the movie realism of the A-team movie. The basic situation is that the guys are falling inside a tank with terminal velocity into a lake. I'm stumped on how to calculate the force that is created on impact, though I imagined it being done with some kind of pulse equation...
  7. rudransh verma

    A stone lying in a lake

    d=5m But the force is not mg since there is water so net force must be less. But how much?
  8. Astronuc

    Earthquakes under Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    An ongoing swarm with more than 141 earthquakes (as of about 11:30 AM MDT) is centered beneath Yellowstone Lake. At this point the...
  9. lomidrevo

    What is a Data Lake? Understanding the Buzzword

    I think the basic idea is quite clear, as for example defined by wikipedia: But when I google more about this "technology", I am getting quite various ideas about what is considered as data lake. Some of them: just a synonym to ETL approach to data processing a distributed file system, like...
  10. nduka-san

    Can I Generate Energy from Lakes to Clean and Revitalize My Backyard?

    could i convert the pressure underneath a lake around 30 feet deep and another lake that's 10 feet deep to run a boiler and then used to clean the old moldy unclean lake In my backyard and fill it with new fishes suited for the environment .cause there
  11. xyz_1965

    MHB What is the distance AB across the lake using given data?

    Determine the distance AB across a lake using the following data: AC = 400 m, angle C = 90°, and angle CAB = 40°. Round the answer to the nearest meter. Solution: I say AB = 400/[Cos 40] = 522 meters I then know the distance AB across the lake = 522 meters. I timed myself for this one. I...
  12. AngelLestat

    HVAC Radiant cooling using deep lake for summer

    This is a project that I wanted to do in the past 3 years, but I never was sure enough because I don't know how to calculate thermal transfer in a submerged coil to at least have an approximation of what to expect. I want a cheap solution to pass the summer days without cook myself or wasting a...
  13. diogenesNY

    NY Times: Witnessing the Birth of a Crater Lake.... Kīlauea

    New York Times: Witnessing the Birth of a Crater Lake Where Lava Just Flowed The magma mysteriously drained from the crevice last year, and now scorching pools of water are bubbling up from below. By Robin George Andrews Aug. 7, 2019 Last spring, Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began its most...
  14. G

    I Rippled surface on lake ends abruptly

    Hi. I've made these pictures on Reichenau Island in Lake Constance, Germany. I was suprized about that clear line between the calm area close to the shore and the more rippled surface further out. The wind was weak, but directed from water to land. From a pier I could see that the ground drops...
  15. jedishrfu

    A New World Leader: 8yr old Pulls 1000yr old Sword from Lake

    We have a new world leader: An 8yr old girl pulls 1000yr old sword from a lake in Norway: https://www.history.com/news/girl-sword-lake-pre-viking-era
  16. HappyFlower

    A sailboat sets out from the U.S. side of Lake Erie

    Homework Statement A sailboat sets out from the U.S. side of Lake Erie for a point on the Canadian side, 90.0 km due north. The sailor, however, ends up 50.0 km due east of the starting point. (a) How far, and (b) in what direction must the sailor now sail to reach the original destination...
  17. W

    Thermal Physics: Freezing Lake

    Homework Statement Homework Equations dQ/dt = -kA(dT/dx) The Attempt at a Solution I tried to use Fourier's law of Conduction on this one. I subbed dT for (Θ0 - Θ1), and l(t) (function for thickness of ice against time) for dx, reason being that the sheet of ice should get thicker. I then...
  18. A

    Light between 2 towers reflecting off a lake

    Please forgive me if I'm in breach of some etiquette with asking for help here, but calculus isn't my strongest subject, and I learn best by example. I am currently studying in the Life Of Fred Calculus book (do I need to state copyright or something?). I am attempting to work a problem that...
  19. ToHHoR

    Solving for Angle and Distance in Newton Mechanics Course | 2 Men on Icy Lake

    Homework Statement Relevante for the problem:: - We are taking a course in Newton mechanicsTwo men, each of mass M = 75.0 kg find themselves standing on an icy lake, a distance d = 5.00 m apart. They each happen to carry a basketball, weighing m = 0.600 kg. In order to move, they get the clever...
  20. tasos

    Pion's mean free path in a lake. exercIse question

    Homework Statement Charged pion with average life time $$\tau=10^{-8} sec$$, and mean free path in the water$$\ell=100m$$ falls prependicular to a lake (depth of lake is at $$\ell_0 =30m$$ with velocity $$V=0.9999c$$ What of the next is correct? 1). The particle isn't gona touch the bottom of...
  21. L

    Death of 3 Dogs After Drinking Water from Kent Lake: Investigation Begins

    https://uk.news.yahoo.com/three-dogs-die-drinking-kent-lake-011715191.html Have you seen this one? Does the green-blue algae hypotesis fit with the nearly instantaneous death of the dogs that drank the water?
  22. Astronuc

    Mag 6.2 Earthquake, 100km (62mi) NNE of Chignik Lake, Alaska

    Earthquake strikes remote region of Alaska http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/02/americas/alaska-earthquake/index.html M6.2 - 100km NNE of Chignik Lake, Alaska (Near Jaw Mountain) http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ak13226799#general_region A swarm is also associated with this event...
  23. caters

    How do rivers and lakes form?

    I have heard that rivers form from meltwater and rainwater flowing down mountains. But I know that not all rivers start near mountains. As an example the Mississippi river doesn't start near any mountains. Rather it starts at Lake Itasca which is surrounded by taiga(coniferous forest). This lake...
  24. caters

    Several lifestyle choices

    In the 11th chapter of Life on Kepler Bb after the whole sequence of earthquakes crumbling all the tunnels and making the homes and buildings dusty a geologist named Leon finds out that the fault line is very deep and very hot. Leon tells all people with the power of flight to line up in...
  25. R

    Interference from reflection off water across a lake

    #89 chapter 35 A microwave transmitter at height a above the water of a wide lake transmits wavelength lambda to a receiver across the lake height x above the water. Reflected wave interferes with waves arriving directly. Assumptions: width of lake D is much greater than a or x, and lambda is...
  26. Kingyou123

    Changing the water levels of a lake

    Homework Statement Attached problem Homework Equations Anti-derivatives, linear approx. F(a)=f(a)+F'(a)(x-a) The Attempt at a Solution I'm stuck on the first part, I think (w')^-1(1)= W which is 1. It seems too easy... and for part c I'm having trouble finding the equation for the line. I...
  27. S

    The Pressure Variation with depth in various Water Bodies

    Homework Statement i want to know about the variation in pressure according to varo=ious depth in different water bodies like for river, lake, stream, and all with the possibility of having fresh water or salty water. (not talking about oceans) may be shore of a sea will also work. Homework...
  28. M

    FInding distance from top of diving bell to lake surface

    Homework Statement A cylindrical diving bell with open bottom and closed top 12.0m high is lowered into a lake until water within the bell rises 8.0m from the bottom end. Determine the distance from the top of the bell to the surface of the lake. Homework Equations I actually solved this...
  29. jtbell

    Hell hasn't frozen over, but Lake Erie has (almost)

    Lake Erie almost frozen over (USA Today)
  30. Nathanael

    Volume of a bubble rising in a lake

    Homework Statement An air bubble of volume 20 cm^3 is at the bottom of a lake 40 m deep, where the temperature is 4.0°C. The bubble rises to the surface, which is at a temperature of 20°C. Take the temperature of the bubble’s air to be the same as that of the surrounding water. Just as the...
  31. lep11

    Measuring the depth of a lake using a bottle

    Homework Statement To measure the depth of a lake, an empty bottle (V=1dm^3) is lowered to the bottom of the freshwater lake. There is a weight attached to the bottom of the bottle to keep it upright. When the bottle is recovered it is filled with 0,58dm^3 of water. Determine the depth of the...
  32. R

    Calculate Thickness of Ice Sheet on Lake: -17.8°C in 3.80 Minutes

    Homework Statement A 0.315-m-thick sheet of ice covers a lake. The air temperature at the ice surface is -17.8 °C. In 3.80 minutes, the ice thickens by a small amount. Assume that no heat flows from the ground below into the water and that the added ice is very thin compared to 0.315 m...
  33. D

    What happens when you fall at 100 mph into a flat water lake

    I'm just wonder what would happen for a physics project. I have looked everywhere and can't find anything helpful on the internet. Theoretically, I just need to find what would happen to a large humanoid object reaching a terminal velocity of 100-125 mph and falling down around 4km into said...
  34. KiNGGeexD

    Buoyancy - block of concrete is being raised from a lake

    Buoyancy -- block of concrete is being raised from a lake Question; A 50kg block of concrete is being raised from a lake. What fraction of its weight in air is required to lift it while submerged? My attempt, I'm pretty sure this question pertains to Archimedes principle I calculated the...
  35. D

    Material Balance Lead in a lake

    Homework Statement Question 2. Tetraethyl lead was used in early model cars to help reduce engine knocking, boost octane ratings, and help with wear and tear on valveseats within the motor. In Australia, our petrol contained lead between approximately 1950 and 2002. Consider the impact of...
  36. Eagle9

    Which volcano has the greatest fire lake?

    Please tell me which active volcano on the Earth has got the largest fire lake (or moving (long) magma) like them below? And also, which fire lake has got the highest temperature? Briefly, I am looking for the largest and hottest fire lakes/places on the Earth :rolleyes:
  37. S

    How many hours until ice on lake freezes from 5.78ft to 6.76ft?

    Homework Statement ice needs to be at least 6.76 feet thick. = 2.0604m Currently the ice is 5.78 feet thick = 1.7617m Later, there is a cold spell If the average temperature during the cold spell is 23.23°F =-4.8722C = 268.277K and the water temperature is 32.0°F = 0C = 273.15K...
  38. M

    Sailboat on a Flat Lake: Fan On - What Happens?

    Here's a random question from the depths of my brain. :) Say that there's a sailboat on a flat, empty lake. Now imagine that on the boat, behind the sail there's a big electric fan. If the fan were to be switched on(blowing towards the sail), would the boat move forwards, backwards, or...
  39. A

    Solving Wave Motion: A Water Wave on a Lake

    Homework Statement A water wave traveling in a straight line on a lake is described by the equation y(x,t)=(3.75\,\text{cm})\cos(0.450\,\text{cm}^{-1}x+5.40\,\text{s}^{−1}t) where y is the displacement perpendicular to the undisturbed surface of the lake. How much time does it take for one...
  40. C

    Energy math question - Energy to melt lake ice sheet

    Energy math question -- Energy to melt lake ice sheet Homework Statement Lake Champlain bordered by New York, Vermont and Quebec has a surface area of 1, 126 km^2. If it freezes solid in the winter with an average ice thickness of .5 m, how much total energy does it take ti melt the ice...
  41. R

    I Have A Real Life Design Problem on My Lake Marina

    Background: I own a lake marina that rents balls for house boats to tie up to on a permanent basis. The boats range in size and weight for 45' to 65' and weight from 2,000lbs to 15,000lbs. The balls are on a grid pattern 9 balls wide by 10 ball deep and 120' to 140' cabling between balls in all...
  42. R

    Determining the Thermocline in a Stratified Lake

    Homework Statement Lakes become stratified in temperature over the course of the year because of the way that heat transfer occurs. In the spring, the temperature of a lake as a function of depth is reasonably constant. During the summer, as heat enters the lake from solar radiation, the...
  43. S

    Outgassing of CO2 from a lake after lowering the water level

    Hi folks! English is not my native language so please excuse my bad grammar. I am a geology student working on a project about a lake when an interesting puzzle piece - a newspaper article from 1844 - came up. This is not homework and I don't even know if a solution exists to my question at...
  44. Greg Bernhardt

    'New Bacteria' found in Antarctic Lake

    http://news.discovery.com/earth/russia-finds-new-bacteria-antarctic-lake-130307.htm
  45. A.T.

    What is the cause of the slow movement of a large ice floe on a lake?

    Here is a video of a large ice floe (~70x140m) moving visibly back and forth within a ~30cm range at ~1cm/s. The floe covers only half of the lake, but that almost completely, except a ~1m wide strip at the shore. At the end of the movie the camera pans to show the size of the floe. What causes...
  46. F

    Ice Sled Powered by Rocket Engine: Find t1, t2, v & Final Position

    An ice sled powered by a rocket engine starts from rest on a large frozen lake and accelerates at +38 ft/s2. After some time t1, the rocket engine is shut down and the sled moves with constant velocity v for a time t2. Assume the total distance traveled by the sled is 15750 ft and the total time...
  47. F

    Optimization problem with a round lake

    1. A person from point A wants to get to point C diammetrically across a round lake. This person is on the shore and can walk at a rate of 4 mi/hr and row at a rate of 2 mi/hr. Which method should she use? 2. radius = 2 mi, triangle with angle θ has the points ABC 3. I started out...
  48. M

    A duck is floating on a lake with 25% of it's volume beneath the water

    Homework Statement A duck is floating on a lake with 25% of it's volume beneath the water. What is the average density of the duck? Homework Equations Not sure of going about this problem The Attempt at a Solution I know that p(rho) = m/V
  49. C

    Freezing Lake - Heat Energy Questions

    Homework Statement Freezing Lake A small pond has a layer of ice 1cm thick floating on its surface. The air temperature is -10°C. Steps (a-c) should help you find the final answers in (d) and (e). (a) What is the temperature of the liquid water just below the ice? (b) Write the...
  50. Z

    Motion of a Uniform Stick on a Frozen Lake After an Impulse

    Homework Statement A straight uniform stick of L= 1m and mass m = 1 KG lies on a surface of a frozen lake.Someone kicks the stick at one end,imparting an impulse of 2Ns normal to the stick.Describe the subsequent motion of the stick. Homework Equations I=mΔV The Attempt at a...
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