The document discusses the Earth system and its four interacting spheres: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. It provides details on the composition and characteristics of each sphere and how they interact. For example, the biosphere releases and absorbs gases that impact the atmosphere through photosynthesis and respiration. Water cycles between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere through evaporation and precipitation. Rock breakdown through weathering transfers nutrients between the geosphere and hydrosphere.

1. z
The
Earth
System

2. The Earth System
“Earth is a complex
system of interacting
physical, chemical and
biological processes,
and provides a natural
laboratory whose
experiments have
been running since the
beginning of time.”
http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/earthsystem/nutshell/
NASA

3. Earth As A Closed System
Closed system: exchange of energy but negligible
exchange of mass with surroundings

4. Earth System Science
Earth system
science studies
Earth as a system
composed of
numerous parts, or
subsystems.

5. The Earth System M. Ruzek, 1999

6. The Earth’s Four Spheres

7. z
Overlapping Cycles in the
Earth System
http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/GRAPHIC0/Astronomy/EarthSystems.gif

8. z
The Atmosphere

9. consists of a mixture
of gases composed
primarily of nitrogen,
oxygen, carbon
dioxide, and water
vapour
thermosphere
mesosphere
stratosphere
troposphere

10. Hydrosphere:
The gases of the atmosphere readily
exchange with those dissolved in
water bodies (e.g. oceans, lakes, etc.)
Biosphere:
The atmosphere supplies oxygen and
carbon dioxide that form the basis of
life processes (photosynthesis and
respiration).
Geosphere:
Gases in the atmosphere react with
water to produce weak acids that aid
in the breakdown of rock.

11. z
I
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Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Biosphere
http://www.itvs.org/risingwaters/

12. z
The Biosphere
http://www.geology.ufl.edu/Biosphere.html

13. Atmosphere:
Life processes involve a many chemical reactions
which either extract or emit gases to and from the
atmosphere (e.g. photosynthesis consumes
carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, whereas
respiration does the opposite).
Hydrosphere:
Evaporation of water from leaf surfaces
(transpiration) transfers water to the atmosphere.
Geosphere:
The biosphere is connected to the geosphere
through soils (mixtures of air, mineral matter,
organic matter, and water). Plant activity (e.g. root
growth and organic acid production) are also for
the mechanical and chemical breakdown of the
rocks.

14. z
The hydrosphere contains all the
water found on our planet.
http://water.tamu.edu/watercycle.html

15. HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

16. Atmosphere:
Water is transferred between the
hydrosphere and biosphere by evaporation
and precipitation. Energy is also exchanged
in this process.
Biosphere:
Water is necessary for the transport of
nutrients and waste products in organisms.
Geosphere: Water is the primary agent for
the chemical and mechanical breakdown of
rock (weathering), to form loose rock
fragments and soil, and sculpts the surface
of the Earth.

17. z
Geosphere
The geosphere is the solid Earth that includes the
continental and ocean crust as well the various layers of
Earth’s interior.
http://ess.geology.ufl.edu/ess/Introduction/Geosphere.html

18. crust
mantle
core
lithosphere
asthenosphere
mesosphere
outer core
inner core
Composition Physical Characteristics
Primarily iron
and nickel
Primarily
silica plus
iron and
magnesium
Primarily silica
plus light
metallic
elements
liquid
solid
solid
brittle
solid
solid
(but
nearly
liquid)
Composition and Physical Characteristics

19. Atmosphere:
Volcanism spews significant amounts of gases
into the atmosphere. For example, volcanoes inject
large amounts of sulphur dioxide to the upper
atmosphere, resulting in global cooling.
Hydrosphere:
The formation of many minerals involve
incorporation or release of water. Also, water
speeds up chemical reactions that produce or
destroy minerals, and aids in the melting of rock.
Biosphere: Nutrients released from rocks
during their breakdown are dissolved in
water (to be used by aquatic plants).

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Geosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
http://www.ecuador-
travel.net/information.volcano.pichin
cha.eruption.htm

21. z
I. Give two examples of how the Earth
system’s four parts can interact with
each other.
 Example: Animals (biosphere) can wear
paths in Earth’s surface (geosphere).
II. Identify the parts involved in the
following scenarios:
 Wind blows a sailboat across a lake.
 A bear digs under a log to search for
good.
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