JAEVEN B.

BAÑAGA DATE PERFORMED: JUNE 22, 2018

EARTH SCIENCE 11 DATE SUBMITTED JUNE 29, 2018
MS. MARIE FE SANGALANG

LABORATORY REPORT NO. 1

THE EARTH AND ITS SUBSYSTEMS

I. INTRODUCTION

The Earth is made out of many things. Deep inside Earth, near its center, lies Earth's
core which is mostly made up of nickel and iron. Above the core is Earth's mantle, which is
made up of rock containing silicon, iron, magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and other
minerals. The rocky surface layer of Earth, called the crust, is made up of mostly oxygen,
silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. Earth's surface is
mainly covered with liquid water and its atmosphere is is mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with
smaller amounts of carbon dioxide, water vapor and other gases.

Everything in Earth's system can be placed into one of four major subsystems: land,
water, living things, or air. These four subsystems are called "spheres." Specifically, they
are the "lithosphere" (land), "hydrosphere" (water), "biosphere" (living things), and
"atmosphere" (air). Each of these four spheres can be further divided into sub-spheres. To
keep things simple in this module, there will be no distinction among the sub-spheres of
any of the four major spheres. 

The lithosphere contains all of the cold, hard solid land of the planet's crust (surface),
the semi-solid land underneath the crust, and the liquid land near the center of the planet.
The surface of the lithosphere is very uneven. It compasses tall mountains, flat lands,
depressions, ocean bottom, and etc.

The hydrosphere contains all the solid, liquid, and gaseous water of the planet. It
ranges from 10 to 20 kilometers in thickness. The hydrosphere extends from Earth's
surface downward several kilometers into the lithosphere and upward about 12 kilometers
into the atmosphere. 

The biosphere contains all the planet's living things. This sphere includes all of the
microorganisms, plants, and animals of Earth. Within the biosphere, living things form
ecological communities based on the physical surroundings of an area. These
communities are referred to as biomes. Deserts, grasslands, and tropical rainforests are
three of the many types of biomes that exist within the biosphere. 

The atmosphere contains all the air in Earth's system. It extends from less than 1 m
below the planet's surface to more than 10,000 km above the planet's surface. The upper
portion of the atmosphere protects the organisms of the biosphere from the sun's
ultraviolet radiation. It also absorbs and emits heat. When air temperature in the lower
portion of this sphere changes, weather occurs. As air in the lower atmosphere is heated
or cooled, it moves around the planet. The result can be as simple as a breeze or as
complex as a tornado. 

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the activity the student must be able to:

 Describe a representation of the earth and its subsystems in a specific location; and

 Identify and characterize the components of each subsystem of the earth in a specific
location.

II. METHODOLOGY

MATERIALS

Ruler, meter stick, tie box or rope, plastic bottles or ziplock, scissor, clipboard, notebook,
pencil or ballpen, bondpaper, dissecting kit, and measuring tape (feet and meters)

PROCEDURE

First, the class measured a 30 m x 10 m area. Then the groups measured a 10 m x 10 m

area from a designated point behind the Middle School, spanning the gully and extending
towards the Junior High School grounds; separated the area into three equal areas the
researchers had to examine on.

The third step the researchers had done was observed general features of the entire area
measured. They made qualitative observations, e.g. landmarks, form, color, noticeable
objects, etc., and it was recorded in a data sheet.

After that, the researchers sketched the area and marked off the different component
subsystem represented (A- geosphere; b- hydrosphere; C- atmosphere; D- biosphere; E-
cryosphere). Next, the researchers made detailed observations, which was classified as
qualitative or quantitative, of the components of each subsystem (A- geosphere; b-
hydrosphere; C- atmosphere; D- biosphere; E- cryosphere). They started with the general
features/ characteristics, then make specific observations and recorded in a data sheet.

After the researchers examined the area, finally, they noted any connections or possible
interactions between two subsytems.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA

The gulley is located at Dole Philippines School, Kalsangi, Polomolok, South

Cotabato, spanning from a designated point behind the Middle School and
extending towards the Junior High School grounds. The gulley plays a vital role in
the ecosystem since it is part of the watershed of Mt. Matutum.

They gulley’s altitude is at approximately 650 meters above sea level. It had an
irregular shape because the bed had deep and shallow holes due to erosion from
flowing water caused by the experienced rainfall.

The area’s depth is approximately 2 feet or 0.6096 meters and the average width of
the area is 15.4199 feet or 4.7 meters.

Plants are unlikely to live and grow on the bed because it is composed of
sediments which have less nutrients and the bed is loose; the plants can’t hold onto
the grounds because it’s waterway of rushing water that always bring stones and
foreign objects.

TABLE 1. COMPONENTS OF EARTH’S SUBSYSTEMS

SUBSYSTEMS GENERAL DESCRIPTION DETAILS
A Geosphere The base is made up of Sediments such as sand
different layers of sediments (muddy, dry, moist) and rocks
like pumice that are usually
porous and dry.
B Hydrosphere Hydrosphere is the water It is moist and muddy
way of the gulley itself because of the experienced
rainfall and had an uneven
terrain.
C Atmosphere The atmosphere around had It was sunny and it had a
a vibrant and yet gloomy humid moist wind sweeping
weather through
D Biosphere There are several insects There were ferns, vines,
clattered and few kinds of moss, lichen and insects
plants such as caterpillars, red/black
ants, mosquitoes, and
unidentified flying insects.
E Cryosphere — —

Figure 1
 Figure 2 Figure 3

INTERACTIONS WITHIN THE SUBSYSTEMS

Fallen branches from trees have been carried by water and now is part of the
hydrosphere. Unwanted plants such as ferns are now growing around the
hydrosphere. Insects may it be crawling or flying considered the hydrosphere as
their ecosystem.

DISCUSSION

The hydrosphere was the path for the water to rush through and since water made
it possible for life to flourish. The plants grew around the hydrosphere and it made
an interaction. Since there were plants (biosphere) present, the researchers
observed that it summed up an ecosystem due to the presence of insects that
interacted with the biosphere, and at the same time, the hydrosphere.

IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Little details makes up a subsystem. The area examined was just small yet it
already sums up the whole earth, although except for the cryosphere since we’re in
the tropics, there is biosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and atmosphere present.
The four major subsystem made it possible for an ecosystem to flourish.

The researchers conclude that in a specific location and detail, we can identify a
subsystem. For example, the hydrosphere can identified as the water-way when
there’s rain, the biosphere is composed of diverse species of plants and insects,
the geosphere makes up the layer underneath the hydrosphere which is composed
of different layers of sediments, and the atmosphere that provides us the air and
the weather that is vital for the whole ecosystem.
V. REFERENCES

Brewer, W. F. & Vosniadou, S. The concept of the earth's shape: a study of

conceptual change in childhood. Champaign, Illinois:Urbana-Champaign
Library. 2007.

IPAC. (2018). “What is earth made up of?”. Retrieved from http://coolcosmos.ipac.

caltech.edu/ask/58-What-is-Earth-made-of- on June 26, 2018.

Kreger, C. (2004). Earth’s spheres. Retrieved from http://www.cotf.edu/ete/ess/esss

pheres.html on June 26, 2018.

Kreger, C. (2004). Earth’s system science. Retrieved from http://www.cotf.edu

/ete/ess/essmain.html on June 26, 2018.

Tasa Graphic Arts, Inc. (2002). The earth’s hydrosphere. Retrieved from https://
www.lakeheadu.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/53/outlines/2013-14/GEO
G1120/Week%203a.pdf on June 26, 2018.