Difference between sea and lake
Sea against lake
There is a very fine line of difference between a lake and a sea. They are both large bodies of water, which is the common factor between them. This also creates confusion, as the Caspian Sea is not a sea, but a lake is often mistaken as such. A lake is a body of water surrounded by land on all sides. They are a small living biological ecosystem filled with fresh water. Whereas, a sea is made up of salt water and is larger in size than a lake, which surrounds the land on most sides.
Comparative chart
| sea | lake |
| Seas are bodies of water that are not enclosed on all sides and are one of the most important water structures on earth. | Lakes are bodies of water that are enclosed on all sides and play a small role in the environment; aspects of a particular place. |
| Training | |
| The seas are not continental bodies of water and are sources of other bodies of water such as lagoons that are salty and are separated from the source by coral reefs or some other geographic structure. | Lakes are continental bodies of water that are formed like rivers and are separated from the main source by geographical accidents. They are also formed when water settles in a narrow, low area on sloping terrain whose height is comparatively less than that of the surrounding area. |
| Composition | |
| The seas contain unfathomable diseases and are home to thousands of organisms. | Lakes are shallower and harbor fewer organisms, mostly fish. |
| Classification | |
| There are no classifications when it comes to seas; they are big or small. | Lakes are broadly classified into various types depending on the various water sources, based on their formation. |
| Sources | |
| The seas act as sources for many of the bodies of water and generally get their water supply from rivers and rainwater. | Lakes are bodies of water that obtain their water mainly from glaciers, rivers, seas, and rain. |
What is the sea?
A sea is a large body of salty water that is surrounded by land on all sides. In more general terms, “the sea” is an interconnected system of salty ocean waters on Earth, derived from all kinds of sources such as rain, meteoric water, etc. It is considered as a global ocean or as several ocean divisions. The sea moderates the Earth’s climate and plays an important role in the water cycle, the carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle. It is also concerned about the phenomenon of the distribution of rains, since the breezes that carry moisture from the sea bring rains to the adjacent lands. The modern scientific study of the sea, oceanography, came largely after the British Challenger expedition of the 1870s. The sea is conventionally divided into five major ocean sections. Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic ) whose second-order sections, such as the Mediterranean , are known as seas.
What is the lake?
A lake is an area filled with water, located in a basin that is surrounded by land. It is located far from any river or other drains that serve to feed or drain the lake. Lakes are bodies of water that are found on land and are not part of the ocean, so they are different from lagoons. They are also larger and deeper than ponds, although there are no official or scientific definitions of lakes. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams, which generally flow. Most of the lakes are fed and drained by rivers and streams. Lakes are of two types, one whose water supply is usually provided by rivers and rainfall, and another whose water supply is provided by saline water, which is water from the seas. Natural lakes are generally found in mountainous areas,
Key differences
- A lake is primarily a body of fresh water, while a sea has a large amount of salt.
- A sea serves as a source of water for smaller bodies of water, such as lagoons. On the other hand, lakes are formed from fresh water supplied by rivers.
- Lakes do not have a permanent life span. They form but will eventually die out. The seas are part of the ocean and are therefore constant.
- Some lakes are considered seas because early explorers had created confusion in nomenclature.
- The seas are subversions of the oceans, but the lakes are not subversions of the rivers.
Final Thought
Thus , it can be said that although there are a large number of differences when it comes to seas and lakes, the presence of both in the middle is necessary. Otherwise, there would be a shortage of water and the ecological balance would be lost. Measures should be taken to reduce the drainage of sewage, industrial waste in water bodies because pollution makes the water in these water bodies unusable.
