The Earth System

Prepared by: Glocielle F. Molabola

Terrarium
 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.” NASA
http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/earthsystem/nutshell/
Earth As A Closed System

Closed system: exchange of energy

but negligible exchange of mass with
surroundings
 Earth System Science

Earth system
science studies
Earth as a system
composed of
numerous parts, or
subsystems.
The Earth System M. Ruzek, 1999
The Earth’s Four Spheres
Overlapping Cycles in the
Earth System

http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/GRAPHIC0/Astronomy/EarthSystems.gif
 The Atmosphere
•consists of four unique
layers (the troposphere,
the stratosphere, the
mesosphere, and the
thermosphere).
•is primarily composed
of N (about 78%) and
O(about 21%). Other
components exist in
small quantities.
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/space/atmosphere.html
 Atmosphere
• consists of a mixture of gases composed primarily of
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour
• The mesosphere,
thermosphere, and
exosphere are
zones of diffuse
atmospheric
components in the
far reaches of the
atmosphere.

• The troposphere (0- • The stratosphere

10 km) constitutes (10 to 50 km),
the climate system contains ozone
that maintains the that protects life
conditions suitable on the planet by
for life on the filtering harmful
planet's surface. ultraviolet radiation
from the Sun.
 System Interactions

Atmosphere

Hydrosphere

Biosphere

Geosphere http://www.itvs.org/risingwaters/
 The Biosphere
The biosphere is structured into a hierarchy known as the
food chain (all life is dependant on the first tier – mainly the
primary producers that are capable of photosynthesis).
• Energy and mass is transferred from one level of the food
chain to the next.

http://www.geology.ufl.edu/Biosphere.html
 Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere
contains all the water
found on our planet.
•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.
http://water.tamu.edu/watercycle.html
 Geosphere
The geosphere is the
solid Earth that includes
the continental and
ocean crust as well the
various layers of Earth’s
interior.
• The geopsphere is not
static (unchanging), but
its surface (crust) is in a http://ess.geology.ufl.edu/ess/Introduction/Geosphere.html

constant state of
motion.
 Earth’s Layers: Composition and Mechanical Characteristics
Composition Physical Characteristics
crust Primarily silica
lithosphere brittle solid
plus light
asthenosphere
metallic solid (but
elements nearly
liquid)
mantle
mesosphere solid
Primarily
silica plus
iron and
magnesium

outer core liquid

Primarily iron
core and nickel
inner core solid

Note: Lithosphere contains both crust and uppermost (brittle) layer of mantle
 System Interactions
Geosphere

Atmosphere Biosphere

http://ess.geology.ufl.edu/ess/Introduction/Geosphere.html