2007-07-12 16:11:29 · 7 answers · asked by Terrence 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
"The main difference between a lake and a pond is the size. A lake is usually defined as a body of water large enough to have at least one wind-swept beach; ponds usually are not large enough for winds to blow across the water and create waves to wash away the plants that may be trying to take root."
http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/WEtlands/LakesPonds/LakesPonds.html
2007-07-13 04:55:50 · answer #1 · answered by margecutter 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is true that ponds are normally smaller than lakes, however size has nothing to do with it.
Ponds are defined as bodies of water, in which the water is shallow enough where natural light can penetrate to the bottom of the entire area. Thus ponds normally have a lot of growth in them.
Conversely, lakes are bodies of water in which natural light cannot penetrate all the way to the bottom.
As a result, lakes are always deeper than ponds, but size is not the resulting factor. Many ponds are misnamed lakes and vice a versa.
There are bodies of water that a labeled as Seas, which are actually lakes, but that is for another question.
2007-07-13 22:35:29 · answer #2 · answered by chahn11 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mostly size. There is actually a legal definition for this. A pond is 6 acres or less. While a lake is great than 6 acres. This came about when the EPA started doing Environmental Impact Statements. In fact a lot of ecological terms had to be defined or redefined.
This site from the EPA explains the differences between pond and lake.
http://www.epa.gov/maia/html/lakes.html
2007-07-12 23:50:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
a pond of water is water that is not moving any where and a lake of water is usually moving to a bigger part like a river
2007-07-16 22:05:15 · answer #4 · answered by whome 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pond usually involves the stereotype of alligator and frogs in a very moist environemnt where lake usually involves a vast open space, fishing and skinny dipping in summer
2007-07-12 23:17:37 · answer #5 · answered by Gaz T 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A pond is smaller than a lake.
Maybe somebody has a farm and they have a pond to do some fishing or water their cattle. The pond might be 2 to 4 meters deep in the middle and if you walked around its edges, it might take you about 20 minutes.
A lake is bigger.
Here are some pictures of ponds:
http://www.metacrawler.com/info.metac/search/images/farm%252Bpond%252Baerial/1/-/1/-/-/-/1/-/-/-/1/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/417/top/-/-/0
Here are some pictures of lakes:
http://www.metacrawler.com/info.metac/search/images/lake%252Baerial/1/-/1/-/-/-/1/-/-/-/1/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/417/top/-/-/0
2007-07-12 23:19:14 · answer #6 · answered by ecolink 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Size man, Size really matters, ask your girlfriend!
2007-07-12 23:16:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋