Which type of water has never circulated in the hydrologic cycle?

Which type of water has never circulated in the hydrologic cycle?

• A. Juvenile
• B. Meteoric
• C. Connate
• D. Atmospheric

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is distinguishing water sources by where they originate and whether they have been part of the hydrologic cycle. Water from the atmosphere and precipitation has clearly circulated through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Atmospheric water vapor is continually cycling in the air, and meteoric water describes water derived from precipitation that enters the cycle. Water trapped in rocks as they form (connate) represents ancient water that was incorporated at deposition and has not been part of surface–atmosphere cycling since, so it’s not part of ongoing cycling in the same way. Juvenile water comes from deep within Earth’s mantle and is released by magmatic processes; it has not passed through the surface/atmosphere hydrologic cycle, so it’s the water type that has never circulated in that cycle.

The main idea here is distinguishing water sources by where they originate and whether they have been part of the hydrologic cycle. Water from the atmosphere and precipitation has clearly circulated through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Atmospheric water vapor is continually cycling in the air, and meteoric water describes water derived from precipitation that enters the cycle. Water trapped in rocks as they form (connate) represents ancient water that was incorporated at deposition and has not been part of surface–atmosphere cycling since, so it’s not part of ongoing cycling in the same way. Juvenile water comes from deep within Earth’s mantle and is released by magmatic processes; it has not passed through the surface/atmosphere hydrologic cycle, so it’s the water type that has never circulated in that cycle.