(a) Refer to the data in Table 24.1. Compare how long a given water molecule remains in each of the following reservoirs, and rank the reservoirs in order from longest to shortest residence time: Atlantic Ocean, Lake Tahoe, the air over Miami, groundwater at the bottom of an aquifer.

(b) Describe the process by which a water drop exits each one of these reservoirs.

TABLE 24.1 RESIDENCE TIME OF WATER IN VARIOUS RESERVOIRS Oceans Glaciers Shallow groundwater Deep groundwater Lakes Rivers Atmosphere 3200 years 20 to 100 years 100 to 200 years 10,000 years 50 to 100 years 2 to 6 months 9 days