To determine which statement correctly describes what covers Earth's surface, we'll need to rely on factual information regarding the distribution of land and water on Earth.
1. 71% of Earth's surface is covered by land and 29% of Earth's surface is covered by water.
- This statement is incorrect. The majority of Earth's surface is covered by water, not land.
2. 97% of Earth's surface is covered by land and 3% of Earth's surface is covered by water.
- This statement is also incorrect. If the Earth were covered mostly by land, our planet would be vastly different, especially in terms of climate and biodiversity.
3. 29% of Earth's surface is covered by land and 71% of Earth's surface is covered by water.
- This statement is correct. Scientific studies and Earth observations confirm that approximately 71% of Earth's surface is covered by water (oceans, seas, and other bodies of water), while the remaining 29% is covered by land (continents and islands).
4. 3% of Earth's surface is covered by land and 97% of Earth's surface is covered by water.
- This statement is incorrect. If only 3% of Earth's surface were land, the planet would be almost entirely oceanic, which does not match our observations of Earth’s geography.
Given this information, the correct statement is:
29% of Earth's surface is covered by land and 71% of Earth's surface is covered by water.
