Earth Systems Overview

The Earth is a system consisting of four

major interacting components:

• the atmosphere,
• the biosphere,
• the hydrosphere, and
• the geosphere

Let’s examine each of these four

spheres in detail………
 The meaning of the prefixes
 Geo means Rock
 Hydro means Water
 Atmo means Air
 Bio means Life
 The Atmosphere
The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of
air, which we call the atmosphere.
• The atmosphere consists of four
unique layers (the troposphere, the
stratosphere, the mesosphere, and the
thermosphere).
• The atmosphere reaches over 560
kilometers (348 miles) up from the
surface of the Earth.
• The atmosphere is primarily
composed of nitrogen (about 78%) and
oxygen (about 21%). Other
components exist in small quantities.
Layers of the atmosphere
 Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere
From top to Bottom

 Thermosphere
 Mesopause

 Mesosphere
 Stratopause

 Stratosphere
 Tropopause

 Troposphere
 TROPOSPHERE
• Lowest and thinnest layer
— 16 km at equator, 8 km at poles
• 90% of the atmosphere’s
mass
 Temperature decreases with
altitude
— 6°C per kilometer
— Top of troposphere averages

— –50°C

 Where weather occurs

 Boundary between the troposphere,
and the stratosphere is called the
tropopause
 STRATOSPHERE
 Extends from 10 km to 50 km
above the ground
 Less dense (less water vapor)

 Temperature increases with

altitude
 Almost no weather occurrence

 Contains high level of ozone

> ozone layer

 Upper boundary is called
stratopause
 MESOSPHERE
 Extends to almost
80 km high
 Gases are less
dense.
 Temperature
decreases as
altitude increases.
 Gases in this layer
absorb very little UV
radiation.
 THERMOSPHERE
 above the mesosphere
and extends to almost
600 km high
 temperature increases
with altitude
 readily absorbs solar
radiation
 Temperature can go as
high as 1,500 °C
 reflects radio waves
 EXOSPHERE
 theinterface
between Earth
and space
 atoms and
molecules can
escape to
space
 Structure of Atmosphere
Stratospheric ozone is good ozone
— protects Earth from harmful UV
radiation
— depletion is detrimental to life

Tropospheric ozone is bad ozone

— In the troposphere, ozone is a
pollutant .
• CFCs (pollutant)
 Ozone Depletion
 main cause is CFC pollution
 radiation from the sun causes the
CFCs to break down
 releases one chlorine atom

 Chlorine atom reacts with ozone

(O3 ) molecules forming chlorine

oxide(ClO) and oxygen gas ( O2).
 Global Warming

 Anincrease in Earth’s average

surface temperature caused by
an increase in greenhouse gases.

 caused by Greenhouse Effect

 Greenhouse Effect
the trapping of heat by gases in the
atmosphere
Greenhouse gases
> carbon dioxide
> sulfur dioxide
> ozone
> CFCs
> water vapor
 Effects of Greenhouse Gas Pollution
 Global warming
> ice in polar caps will begin to melt
> water in the ocean expands
> flooding in lowlands
and coastal areas
> changes in weather
patterns
Rotation causes day and
night.
 Spinning of the
Earth on its
imaginary axis.
 24 hours
The revolution of the Earth
around the sun
 365 ¼ days

 Seasons due to its tilt

during revolution (23.5
degrees).
A - Summer in the Northern Hemisphere
B - Summer in the Southern Hemisphere
 Solstices
 Twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's is directly
towards or away from the Sun

 Winter Solstice - December 21 - beginning of winter.

 Summer Solstice -June 21 - beginning of summer
 Equinoxes
Sunlight strikes the earth
most directly at the equator.

Spring Equinox - March 21

Fall Equinox - September
23
The Four Seasons: The Effect of the
Tilt of Earth’s Rotation Axis
 Affected by relative position of
the sun and the Earth
1. Climate
2. Seasons
3. Day and Night
 The Biosphere
The biosphere is the “life zone” of the Earth, and includes all
living organisms (including humans), and all organic matter that has not
yet decomposed.
• The biosphere is structured into a hierarchy known as the food chain
(all life is dependant on the first tier – mainly the primary producers
that are capable of photosynthesis).
• Energy and mass is transferred from one level of the food chain to the
next.
Biosphere continued…

This includes all the plants, animals,

fungus, protists and bacteria on Earth.
 The Hydrosphere…
… is the sphere of water that covers 70% of the
Earth.
 Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere contains all the water
found on our planet.
• Water found on the surface of our planet
includes the ocean as well as water from lakes
and rivers, streams, and creeks.
• Water found under the surface of our planet
includes water trapped in the soil and
groundwater.
• Water found in our atmosphere includes
water vapor.
• Frozen water on our planet includes ice caps
and glaciers.
• Only about 3% of the water on Earth is
“fresh” water, and about 70% of the fresh
water is frozen in the form of glacial ice.
 The hydrosphere is made up of all the
salt water and fresh water on Earth.

Salt water in the

oceans and seas.

Fresh water in the lakes,

rivers and streams and the
frozen water on Earth.
 Geosphere
The geosphere is the solid
Earth that includes the continental
and ocean crust as well the various
layers of Earth’s interior.
• 94% of the Earth is composed of
the elements oxygen, silicon, and
magnesium.
• The geopsphere is not static
(unchanging), but its surface
(crust) is in a constant state of
motion.
• Mineral resources are mined
from the geosphere.
This includes the rock on the surface and the
interior.
 Each of these spheres is also
considered a system because they are
always moving and being recycled.
 In the biosphere the life forms have a
lifespan and when they die they provide
nourishment for other organisms.
 In the geosphere, the rocks are endlessly
being broken down, then recycled into new
rocks.
 In the hydrosphere, the water is endlessly
moving, changing states and becoming
refreshed.
 In the atmosphere, the air is continually
rising, falling and mixing.
 The spheres / systems are endlessly
interacting.
 Can you think of ways that they interact?
 Earth System Science
Earth System Science
is the study of how the
four spheres of the Earth
system interact
continually, each
affecting the others.

Let’s look at a couple of

examples of how a
change in one system (or
sphere) affects other
Earth systems.
 System Interactions

Volcanoes (geosphere) erupt, sending

ash and gases into the air (atmosphere)
and sending lava and ash down onto
surrounding forests (biosphere) and
human habitations (biosphere).

Geosphere

Atmosphere Biosphere
 System Interactions

Hurricanes (atmosphere) sweep

across the ocean (hydrosphere) and
onto the land (geosphere), damaging
the dwellings of people (biosphere)
who live along the coast.

Hydrosphere

Atmosphere Geosphere

Biosphere
 System Interactions
Earthquakes (geosphere) can damage
buildings which may kill people
(biosphere), as well as cause fires which
release gases into the air (atmosphere).
Earthquakes in the ocean may cause a
tsunami (hydrosphere) which can
eventually hit land and kill both animals
and people (biosphere).

Biosphere

Geosphere Atmosphere

Hydrosphere