The Earth system refers to the interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes of the planet, including its land, oceans, atmosphere, poles, and natural cycles. The Earth can be viewed as a closed system, where the total amount of matter is fixed but transforms between different forms. The Earth is composed of four main subsystems - the geosphere (rocks and soil), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere (living things and their remains). Human lives depend on the interaction of these four subsystems.