The age of water on Earth is very interesting to discuss. Until now, the age and origin of water on Earth has been a mystery. Various hypotheses have emerged about how water got to Earth.
Water is also actually an important element of life on Earth. Due to its existence, the Earth is one of the planets suitable for living beings to live.
However, various mysteries regarding water on Earth have emerged that have not been solved so far. One thing that intrigues me is their age.
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How old is water on Earth?
A study in GeoScienceWorld Elements shows that another young solar system has an abundance of water.
This provides a bright spot regarding the origin of water on Earth. In the Solar System, water will follow the journey of the growing young star.
Additionally, water will also follow the journey when the planet is formed. The proof is in the heavy water content of the Earth, thus indicating its age.
The water on Earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old, the same age as the planet. This can be found in the article titled ‘We Drink Good 4.5 Billion Year Old Water’ by Cecilia Ceccarelli and Fujun Du.
Ceccarelli is an Italian astronomer from the Institute of Planetary Sciences and Astrophysics in Grenoble, France. Meanwhile Du is an astronomer at the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing, China.
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The process of formation of the solar system
The existence of water is linked to the formation process of the Solar System. The formation of the Solar System began with the existence of a giant molecular cloud.
These clouds are composed mainly of hydrogen, which is the main component of water, and also of helium, oxygen and carbon in decreasing order of abundance.
So the cloud also contains small grains of silicate dust and coal dust. Since the beginning of the formation of the water age on the Earth and the Solar System.
The cold molecular cloud will freeze and stick to the surface. When this happens, the two react and form water ice or two types of water, namely ordinary water and heavy water containing deuterium.
Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen which is heavy hydrogen (HDO). In deuterium there is a proton and a neutron in its nucleus, which separates it from ordinary hydrogen which is called protium.
Read also: The oxygen on Earth will run out in another billion years, here’s why!
Cold water stage
When water ice forms a cloak over the dust grains, that’s when a cold phase occurs. Gravity begins to orientate itself in the cloud as matter piles into the center.
More mass fell into the center of the cloud and it began to form a protostar. A little gravity eventually heats it up to 100 Kelvin (-280 Fahrenheit).
Sublimation takes place in the hot region of the corino, the hot envelope surrounding the center of the cloud. Although they also contain complex organic molecules, water is the most abundant molecule in corinos.
Thus, the age of water on Earth is billions of years. Water has been around since the beginning of the Solar System and this planet was formed and continues to recycle itself until it never runs out. (R10/HR-Online)
