Could a habitable planet form with no major bodies of water?

In the book Dune by Frank Herbert. Arrakis is a desolate planet composed entirely of deserts. Water is a precious commodity due to its rarity. The Fremen have found ways to live on its surface, despite its seeming lack of habitability. My question concerns the following:

Could a planet with an atmosphere that is similar in proportion to Earth's form without any major bodies of water on its surface?

The atmosphere of Earth has two major components:

1. Oxygen- 20%
2. Nitrogen- 78%

Is the presence of water necessary to get such a balance in the first place so that Earth-like organisms could survive on its surface?

posted about 9 years ago

QuiquÈ…‭

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