Why is the earth covered more by water and less land is exposed?

Question

What would have happened if water was less and earth was more? thanks.

Answer 1

The reasons is simply that that's the way it was formed. At one point there will have been less water, the world will have been dry, but then chemical reactions took place to create H2O leaving us with what we have now. Perhaps the actual amount of water on the planet is still rising (or falling) as we speak.

I'd say we'll find out what happens the opposite way as the ice caps melt and sea level rises however if there was less water I'm not sure... Perhaps the weather systems and climate would be affected. The tropical belt might be narrower and the deserts larger. Life may not have formed without enough H2O to stabalise the climate...

Or maybe there'd just be more land to walk around on.

Answer 2

Because there is a limited amount of the lighter weight stuff that makes up the continents - not enough to cover the whole surface, so what there is wanders around.