2007-10-11 05:57:42 · 6 answers · asked by Jefferson R 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
A pond is a small area of still fresh water surrounded by land, either lying in a natural depression in the Earth's surface, or artificially constructed, eg in a garden.
A lake is a large inland body of fresh water or salt water.
2007-10-11 07:21:27 · answer #1 · answered by Rain 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that the difference between a lake and a pond; is that a pond is a depression in the ground that is below the water table. The natural level of the rain water that seeps into the ground and fills the depression. The water is still, not flowing.
A lake is, again a depression in the ground normally surrounded by hills and fed by a stream or river and usually with another river or stream at the other end of the lake that is the outlet.
Ponds are normally found on flater areas of ground than lakes which are found in hill country.
This does not really help much because what do you call the caspian sea. It is a depression in the ground, it is fed by rivers and natural ground water and has no natural outlet. It is also huge!
2007-10-11 13:31:58 · answer #2 · answered by Will in Spain 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Bethy and Will, and so does Wikipedia.
I'm in Canada and what we would call a lake is often referred to as a pond in New York State (Adirondacks). For instance Rollins Pond would be considered to be a small lake in Canada.
I've always thought of ponds as being man-made or as being water bodies that don't have an in-flow and out-flow from a stream or river, except a beaver pond which is created by blocking a stream.
2007-10-11 14:33:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pond is small and lake is large. I am not sure about the cut off point, but assume that if you can see it entirely with naked eyes (without binoculars), then it is pond. Otherwise a lake.
2007-10-11 13:01:22 · answer #4 · answered by Madhukar 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not 100% but I think it has something to do with how the water source for the body of water gets to it.
I think a lake is classified if the water source comes from a river/stream.
I think a pond is classified if the water source is more like ground water, or where excess underground water collects due to the position/gradiation of the land.
I may be way off but it sounds reasonable to me! :P
2007-10-11 13:07:41 · answer #5 · answered by Mrs. Bethy O. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's relative. What would be a pond in Canada would be a lake in England.
2007-10-11 13:01:47 · answer #6 · answered by michinoku2001 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋