The document outlines the Earth's four subsystems: atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, detailing their characteristics and interactions. It explains the processes involved in matter and energy flow, such as evaporation, condensation, and the interconnectedness of these subsystems. Additionally, it emphasizes the role of each subsystem in supporting life and the environmental changes that may occur due to their interactions.

1. Origin and Structure
of the Earth
The Subsystems

2. After this lesson, you are expected to:
1. determine the four subsystems of the Earth;
2. describe the characteristics of each subsystem;
3. trace the flow of matter and energy in the Earth’s
subsystems; and
4. express one’s internalized role as steward of the four
subsystems concerning the flow of matter and
energy.

4. The Earth is composed of 4 subsystems:
1.Atmosphere
2.Geosphere
3.Hydrosphere
4.Biosphere

5. Atmosphere
Earth’s atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the
planet.
The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of air, which we call
the atmosphere. It reaches over 560 kilometers from the
surface of the Earth
When compared to the thickness (radius) of the solid Earth
(about 6400 kilometers [4000 miles]), the atmosphere is a
very shallow layer

6. Atmosphere
 Absorbs the energy from the Sun,
Recycles water and other chemicals,
protects us from high-energy radiation and the frigid
vacuum of space.
The atmosphere protects and supports life.

7. Atmosphere
The energy exchanges that continually occur between the
atmosphere and Earth’s surface and between the atmosphere
and space produce the effects we call weather and climate.
Weather is the state of the atmosphere with respect to heat or
cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness or cloudiness.
Climate is the average course or condition of the weather at a
place usually over a period of time.

8. Atmosphere
•78% Nitrogen
•20.9% Oxygen
•1.1% Other Gases

9. Atmosphere
TROPOSPHERE- begins at the surface and extends up to
12km
Its where weather happens
The air we breathe and the clouds in the sky
STRATOSPHERE – where the ozone exists
 Ozone molecules in this layer absorb high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light
from the Sun, converting the UV energy into heat

10. Atmosphere
 MESOSPHERE layer protects the Earth from large meteoroids. It's in the
mesosphere where it serves as a shield for meteorites. Friction in the
mesosphere burns up meteors. Then, they disintegrate into small pieces of dust.
 THERMOSPHERE absorbs the sun's radiation, making it very hot. The
thermosphere puts on the auroras, a dazzling light show caused by colliding
particles, and the thermosphere is also where satellites orbit the Earth.
 EXOSPHERE is the uppermost region of the Earth's atmosphere and has no
clear upper boundary since it gradually fades into outer space.

11. Geosphere
The geosphere extends from the surface to the
center of the planet, a depth of 6400 kilometers
[4000 miles].

12. Geosphere

13. Geosphere
 MANTLE consists of magma which can push
through holes or cracks in the crust, causing a
volcanic eruption.
 More than 82 percent of Earth’s volume is contained
in the mantle, a solid, rocky shell that extends to a
depth of nearly 2900 kilometers (1800 miles). The
boundary between the crust and mantle is the site of
a marked change in chemical composition.

14. Geosphere
 LITHOSPHERE
 (“sphere of rock”) consists of the entire crust and
uppermost mantle and forms Earth’s relatively
cool, rigid outer shell.
 ASTHENOSPHERE
 (“weak sphere”) a soft, comparatively weak layer
beneath the lithosphere

15. Geosphere
 CORE
 The composition of the core is thought to be an
iron–nickel alloy with minor amounts of oxygen,
silicon, and sulfur—elements that readily form
compounds with iron.
 OUTER CORE – composed of liquid iron and nickel
- Responsible for the magnetic field of the Earth
 INNER CORE- composed of solid metal iron and

16. Hydrosphere

17. Hydrosphere

18. Hydrosphere
 Change from Liquid to Gaseous Phase – Evaporation
and Transpiration
EVAPORATION – when the heat of the sun causes water
from the surface of water bodies such as oceans, streams,
and lakes to evaporate into water vapor in the
atmosphere.
TRANSPIRATION- Plants also contribute to the water
cycle when water gets evaporated from the aerial parts of
the plant, such as leaves and stems by the process of

19. Hydrosphere
 Change from Solid to Gaseous Phase –
Sublimation
Due to dry winds, low humidity, and low air
pressure, snow present on the mountains change
directly into water vapor, bypassing the liquid phase
by a process known as sublimation.

20. Hydrosphere
 Change from Gaseous to Liquid Phase –
Condensation
The invisible water vapor formed through
evaporation, transpiration, and sublimation rises
through the atmosphere, while cool air rushes to take
its place. This is the process of condensation that
allows water vapor to transform back into liquid,
which is then stored in the form of clouds.

21. Hydrosphere
 Change from Gaseous to Liquid and Solid Phase –
Precipitation and Deposition
PRECEPITATION- Wind movements cause the water-laden
clouds to collide and fall back on the earth’s surface through
precipitation, simply known as rain. The water that evaporated
in the first stage thus returns into different water bodies on the
earth’s surface, including the ocean, rivers, ponds, and lakes.
DEPOSITION- In regions with extremely cold climate with sub-
zero temperatures, the water vapor changes directly into frost
and snow bypassing the liquid phase, causing snowfall in high
altitudes by a process known as the deposition.

22. Hydrosphere
 Return of the water back into the underground reserve – Runoff,
Infiltration, Percolation, and Collection
 RUNOFF is precipitation that does not soak into the soil but instead
moves on the Earth's surface toward streams.
 INFILTRATION occurs when water moves into the ground from the
surface and begins to soak into the soil and rock layers underneath.
 PERCOLATION the movement of water through the soil itself.
 COLLECTION The fallen precipitation is then “collected” in bodies
of water – such as rivers, lakes and oceans – from where it will
eventually evaporate back into the air, beginning the cycle all over
again.

23. Biosphere
Biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living
beings and their relationships.
Usually defined as thin outer layer of the Earth capable of
supporting life

24. Biosphere

25. INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE SUBSYSTEMS
MATTER TRANSFER
At the local level, there are many simple examples of
interconnections between components and the elements of the
Earth system. The roots of the plants (biosphere) draw water and
nutrients from the lithosphere, exchange oxygen and carbon
dioxide with the atmosphere through the process of
photosynthesis, and send water into the atmosphere through the

26. INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE SUBSYSTEMS
MATTER TRANSFER
Plants also die and decompose to become part of the
lithosphere. Water evaporates from rivers (hydrosphere) and
the soil (lithosphere) to become part of the atmosphere.
Oxygen in the atmosphere dissolves in a river (hydrosphere).
Fish (biosphere) draw dissolved oxygen into their bodies
from the hydrosphere.

27. INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE SUBSYSTEMS
ENERGY TRANSFER
In addition to the exchanges of matter, the transfer of energy is a
key process of the Earth system. The sun warms the lithosphere,
which transfers its heat to the atmosphere; warmed air transfers
heat to cooler land surfaces; evaporation from a lake
(hydrosphere) transfer heat to the atmosphere; rivers and ocean
currents redistribute heat energy; precipitation can warm or cool
the lithosphere on which it falls

28. INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE SUBSYSTEMS
CHANGE LEADS TO CHANGE
Because of the interconnectedness, changes in one sphere
bring about changes in the others. Sometimes these
changes are dramatic. Droughts (atmosphere) can cause
severe changes in the hydrosphere, the biosphere, and the
lithosphere. Frequently these changes are more subtle.
Heavy rain also changes the amount of soil moisture and
frequent raining leads to erosions in the lithosphere. These
are some examples of change in one sphere leads to
change on the other spheres.

30. ANY
CLARIFICATIONS
?

31. PERFROMANCE TASK
Create a poster/illustration or a song that
represents your environment showing the
interactions among the four spheres.

32. ASSESMENT

33. 1. An example of BIOSPHERE connecting to
ATMOSPHERE
A.Plants produce oxygen
B.Animals eat plant
C.Animals live in caves
D.Animals drink water

34. 2. An example of connection between HYDROsphere and LITHOsphere
is:
A.Boats transporting goods
B.Fish swimming in water
C.Water evaporating to make clouds
D.Waves eroding rocks on beach

35. 3. What is an example of a connection between ATMOsphere and
GEOsphere?
A. Water
B.Nitrogen
C.Volcanic Eruptions release Gas
D.Mountains

36. 4. An example of connection between ATMOsphere and HYDROsphere
A. River
B.Rain
C.Lakes
D.Rocks

37. 4. An example of connection between ATMOsphere and HYDROsphere
A. River
B.Rain
C.Lakes
D.Rocks