The document discusses Earth's four major interacting spheres - the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. It provides details on each sphere, including that the atmosphere consists of four layers and is composed primarily of nitrogen and oxygen. The biosphere is defined as the life zone of Earth containing all living organisms. The hydrosphere contains all of Earth's water, including surface water, groundwater, atmospheric water vapor, and frozen water. The geosphere is the solid part of Earth, including rocks, minerals, and resources mined from it. It concludes that Earth system science studies how these four spheres continually interact and affect one another.

10. A Look at Earth

17. Why do we need to know about Earth’s spheres?

18. 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………

19. 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 350 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.

20. What is the importance of the
atmosphere?
The atmosphere is an important part of what
makes Earth livable. It blocks some of the Sun's
dangerous rays from reaching Earth. It traps
heat, making Earth a comfortable temperature.
And the oxygen within our atmosphere is
essential for life.

21. What destroys the atmosphere?
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other halogenated
ozone depleting substances (ODS) are mainly
responsible for man-made chemical ozone depletion.
The total amount of effective halogens (chlorine and
bromine) in the stratosphere can be calculated and
are known as the equivalent effective stratospheric
chlorine (EESC).

22. 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 a food chain.
• Energy and nutrients, like carbon,
are transferred from one level of the
food chain to the next.

23. What is the importance of the biosphere?
The biosphere is as important as life itself because it
is all of life. Without the biosphere, the Earth would
be a lifeless planet such as Mars or Venus. ... Humans
can have a huge impact on the biosphere, in both
good and bad ways. The growth of the human
population on Earth means there is less room for
other species.

24. Hydrosphere
• The hydrosphere contains all the water found
on our planet.
• Surface Water: Includes the ocean as well as
water from lakes, rivers and creeks.
• Ground Water: Includes water trapped in the
soil and groundwater.
• Atmosphere: water vapor.
• Frozen water: Includes ice caps and glaciers.
Also called the cryosphere.
• 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. (0.9%
in liquid form)

25. Hydrosphere
• The hydrosphere contains all the water found
on our planet.
• Surface Water: Includes the ocean as well as
water from lakes, rivers and creeks.
• Ground Water: Includes water trapped in the
soil and groundwater.
• Atmosphere: water vapor.
• Frozen water: Includes ice caps and glaciers.
Also called the cryosphere.
• 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. (0.9%
in liquid form)

26. Geosphere
The geosphere is the solid
part of the earth, from the
core to the surface.
• Includes volcanoes, rocks,
minerals, coal, oil etc.
•Mineral resources are mined
from the geosphere.

27. Earth System Science
Earth System Science
is the study of how the
four spheres of the Earth
system interact
continually, each
affecting the others.
Example: A scientist
that studies global
warming is an Earth
System Scientist.

28. System Interactions
Volcanoes erupt, sending ash and
gases into the air and sending
lava and ash down onto
surrounding forests and human
habitations.
Geosphere
Atmosphere Biosphere

29. System Interactions
Hurricanes sweep across the
ocean and onto the land,
damaging the dwellings of people
who live along the coast.
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Biosphere

30. System Interactions
Earthquakes can damage buildings which
may kill people, as well as cause fires which
release gases into the air. Earthquakes in
the ocean may cause a tsunami which can
eventually hit land and kill both animals
and people.
Geosphere
Biosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere