The document describes the four main spheres that make up the Earth system - the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. It provides details on the composition and key aspects of each sphere. The atmosphere contains nitrogen and oxygen gases. The biosphere is the living part of Earth and includes all organisms. The hydrosphere contains all of Earth's water, both liquid and vapor. The geosphere is the solid part of Earth, made up of different layers including the crust, mantle, outer core and inner core. The document also explains how the four spheres interact with each other through examples like volcanoes and hurricanes.

1. CONCEPT MAP OF SPHERES OF
THE EARTH
The Earth System
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AtmosphereGeosphere Hydrosphere Biosphere

2. THE ATMOSPHERE
The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of air, called the
atmosphere.
The atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen (N) and
oxygen (O).

3. THE BIOSPHERE
The biosphere is the living part of the Earth, and includes all living
organisms (including humans), and all organic matter that has not yet
decomposed.
Living organisms are made mainly of Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen
(O) and Nitrogen (N)

4. THE
BIOSPHERE
THE BIOSPHERE IS A
GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM
MADE UP OF LIVING
ORGANISMS (BIOTA)
AND THE NONLIVING
(ABIOTIC) FACTORS
THAT PROVIDE THEM
WITH ENERGY AND
NUTRIENTS.

5. IMPORTANCE OF BIOSPHERE
THE BIOSPHERE PROVIDES
THE ECOSYSTEM THAT IS
NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL.
ADAPTATION TO THE
BIOSPHERE’S CLIMATE IS
EXPECTED FOR LIVING
ORGANISMS. BIODIVERSITY
THRIVES WITHIN
ECOSYSTEMS, AND THE
BIOSPHERE IS A RELIABLE
SOURCE OF FOOD ON
EARTH.
THE BIOSPHERE FUNCTIONS
AS THE PLANET’S LIFE
SUPPORT SYSTEM,
ASSISTING IN THE
CONTROL OF
ATMOSPHERIC
COMPOSITION, SOIL
HEALTH, AND THE
HYDROLOGICAL (WATER)
CYCLE. THE BIOSPHERE IS A
NARROW ZONE ON THE
SURFACE OF THE EARTH
WHERE SOIL, WATER, AND
AIR COMBINE TO SUSTAIN
LIFE. LIFE CAN ONLY

6. HYDROSPHERE
The hydrosphere contains all
the water (H20) found on our
planet.
The hydrosphere includes water
that is on the surface of the
planet, underground, and in the
air. A planet's hydrosphere can be
liquid, vapor, or ice. On Earth,
liquid water exists on the surface
in the form of oceans, lakes and
rivers.

7. HYDROSPHERE
Oceans
Most of the water on the planet Earth is salt
water, and the vast majority of this salt water
is held in the oceans.
Fresh water
Fresh water is much less abundant than salt
water, and is held in a variety of different
places.
Surface water
Surface sources of freshwater include lakes,
rivers, and streams.
Ground water
Fresh water held beneath ground makes up a
small portion of the fresh water on Earth.
Glacial water
Water that melts off of glaciers.

8. GEOSPHERE (ALSO CALLED
LITHOSPHERE)
The geosphere is the solid
Earth that includes the continental
and ocean crust as well the various
layers of Earth’s interior.
• 94% of the Earth is composed of
the elements oxygen, silicon, and
magnesium.
• The surface of the geosphere is
is in a constantly changing.
• Mineral resources are mined
from the geosphere.

9. LAYERS OF
THE
GEOSPHERE
CRUST
IT IS THE OUTERMOST
LAYER OF THE EARTH.
IT'S MADE OF SOLID
ROCKS, MAINLY
GRANITE AND BASALT,
AND MINERALS. IT IS 40
KM DEEP AND IT IS
DIVIDED INTO OCEANIC
CRUST AND

10. LAYERS OF
THE
GEOSPHERE
MANTLE
IT IS THE SECOND LAYER OF
THE EARTH. IT IS ABOUT
2,900 KM DEEP AND HAS
TWO PARTS:
• THE UPPER MANTLE,
WHICH CONTAINS SOLID
AND MOLTEN ROCKS.
• THE LOWER MANTLE,
WHICH MAINLY CONTAINS
SOLID MATERIALS.

11. LAYERS OF
THE
GEOSPHERE
OUTER CORE
IT IS SUCH A HOT LAYER
THAT METAL AND
ROCKS GET MELTED SO
IT IS A MOLTEN LAYER.
IT CONTAINS MAINLY
IRON BUT ALSO NICKEL,
OXYGEN AND SULFUR. IT
IS ABOUT 2,400 KM
DEEP.

12. LAYERS OF
THE
GEOSPHERE
INNER CORE
IT IS THE HOTTEST LAYER
AND THE CENTER OF THE
EARTH. IT IS SOLID
BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT
OF PRESSURE IN IT. IT IS
MAINLY MADE UP OF AN
IRON-NICKEL ALLOY BUT
THERE ARE ALSO OTHER
METALS. IT IS ABOUT

13. EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE
Earth System Science
is the study of how the
four spheres of the Earth
system interact
continually, each
affecting the others.
Let’s look at a couple of
examples of how a
change in one system (or
sphere) affects other
Earth systems.

14. SYSTEM INTERACTIONS
Volcanoes (geosphere) erupt, sending
ash and gases into the air (atmosphere)
and sending lava and ash down onto
surrounding forests (biosphere) and
human habitations (biosphere).
Geosphere
Atmosphere Biosphere

15. SYSTEM INTERACTIONS
Hurricanes (atmosphere) sweep
across the ocean (hydrosphere) and
onto the land (geosphere), damaging
the dwellings of people (biosphere)
who live along the coast.
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Biosphere

16. SYSTEM INTERACTIONS
Earthquakes (geosphere) can damage
buildings which may kill people
(biosphere), as well as cause fires which
release gases into the air (atmosphere).
Earthquakes in the ocean may cause a
tsunami (hydrosphere) which can
eventually hit land and kill both animals
and people (biosphere).
Geosphere
Biosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere