People will often wonder if there is a difference between a pond and a lake. Some people confuse them both while others think they are the same. Do you know that a pond and a lake are entirely different? Yes! Let us show you everything you need to know to distinguish between a pond and a lake. Firstly let us know what they are.
Lake: According to Wikipedia, “A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake.” While some lakes are natural, others are artificial and serve some purposes such as Hydroelectric power generation, source of food, agricultural purposes, and water storage.
Pond: According to Wikipedia, “A pond is an area filled with water either natural or artificial, that is smaller than a lake” Some are natural while some are artificial and serve some purposes such as sources of food, water, and agricultural purposes.
Both ponds and lakes have a lot of similarities between them. They are both bodies of water surrounded by land. They have features that differentiate them.
Differences between a Pond and a Lake
Let’s take a look at the key differences between a pond and a lake.
Size
A lake is bigger than a pond. A lake covers more area than a pond. Although, there is no standard size that makes a body of water be called a lake or a pond. It is safe to say that a pond is a small lake while a lake is a bigger pond.
Depth
A lake is deeper than a pond which doesn’t allow sunlight to penetrate deep inside the water, thereby not allowing plants to grow inside the lake but only at the top. While a pond is a shallow body of water surrounded by land, which allows full penetration of sunlight in all of its parts. Hence, supporting more plants to grow inside the body of water.
Temperature
Ponds tend to have a uniform and more consistent temperature because of the shallowness. Lakes have different temperatures on different layers because they are deeper. The surface of lakes are warmer because of sunlight, while the bottom layer is colder because there is no sunlight.
Photosynthesis Activities
Since lakes are deep and large bodies of water, photosynthesis is limited to the top layer, making lakes have very few plants that grow in them. But ponds with their shallowness allow sunlight to penetrate inside them, thereby making photosynthesis take place. This action gives room for a lot of plants to grow inside and around the pond.
Freezing
Most lakes are large enough not to make them freeze entirely during cold climates, unlike ponds which freeze entirely.
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, the difference between a pond and a lake depends on their size, depth, temperature, and photosynthesis activities. Lakes are bigger in size and deeper than ponds in depth. Lakes’ temperature varies, unlike ponds which have a consistent temperature throughout.
While the difference between the two is usually obvious, there is no official distinction between what a pond or lake actually is.