The document discusses the four main spheres that make up the Earth's systems - the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere. It aims to define each sphere and explain how they interact with each other. For example, it notes that volcanoes erupt, sending ash and gases into the atmosphere and biosphere. The document also provides definitions for key terms like weather, climate, and the layers of the atmosphere.

1. Learning Goals:
• To understand the structure of
o the atmosphere
o the biosphere
o the lithosphere,
o hydrosphere
• To understand how the three spheres interacts
with each other

2. What is the difference between weather and
climate?
How would you define them?

3. WEATHER: the state of the
atmosphere at a particular place
and time (i.e. the weather in Redcliffe
right now)
CLIMATE: The average weather
conditions of a certain region (i.e.
the climate in Redcliffe includes hot humid
summers and mild dry winters)
What is the major difference between the two?

4. The earth can be divided up into four spheres that
interact with each other:
The Atmosphere
The Biosphere
The Lithosphere
The Hydrosphere
Can anyone guess
what each is?

5. (air)
(life)
(earth)
(water)

6. • The Earth is surrounded by a
blanket of air, which we call
the atmosphere
• The atmosphere consists of
four unique layers
• The atmosphere reaches over
560 kilometers up from the
surface of the Earth
• The atmosphere is primarily
composed of nitrogen and
oxygen

8. • The biosphere is the zone of life on
the Earth. It includes
• all living organisms (including humans)
• all organic matter that has not yet
decomposed
• The biosphere is structured into a
hierarchy known as the food chain
• Energy and mass is transferred from
one level of the food chain to the next

9. • The lithosphere includes the
crust and the uppermost
mantle; the hard and rigid
outer layer of the Earth
• The lithosphere is about 100
km thick
• The lithosphere below the
crust is brittle enough at
some locations to produce
earthquakes

10. • The hydrosphere contains all the
water found on our planet.
• Water on the surface (oceans,
lakes and rivers, streams, and
creeks)
• Water under the surface of our
planet (water trapped in the soil,
groundwater)
• Water vapour in the atmosphere
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.
• Frozen water (ice caps and
glaciers)

11. System Interactions
Volcanoes (__________) erupt,
sending ash and gases into the air
(___________) and sending lava
and ash down onto surrounding
forests (_________) and human
habitations (_________).
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere

12. Hurricanes (__________) sweep
across the ocean (__________) and
onto the land (__________), damaging
the dwellings of people (__________)
who live along the coast.
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere

13. 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 (__________).
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere

14. Learning Goals:
• What do we mean when we say:
o the lithosphere?
o the atmosphere?
o hydrosphere?