Within the global water cycle, water is stored for the shortest amount of time in…
a. marine systems
b. lakes and streams
c. ground water aquifers
d. polar ice

c. Ground water aquifers

Explanation:

Among the options given, during the water cycle, water is stored for the shortest time in "Ground water aquifers". This is because water can be stored for a long time in marine systems and polar ice. A drop of water in these environments can be stored for thousands of years. On the other hand, the water that is stored in the soil goes from one to two months to evaporate. For this reason, we can conclude that within the global water cycle, water is stored for the shortest amount of time in ground water aquifers.