Four Subsystems of the Earth

 The four subsystems of the Earth are the atmosphere,

geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
The Atmosphere
 The word atmosphere comes from the Greek
roots atmos which means gas, and sphaira which means
globe or ball. The atmosphere makes up of all the gases
on Earth. It extends outward about 10 000 km from the
surface of the Earth. It is composed of 78.1% nitrogen,
20.9% oxygen, 0.9% argon, 350 ppm carbon dioxide, and
other components.
 The atmosphere has different layers – troposphere,
stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and
exosphere.
The Atmosphere
 The troposphere extends to about 14.5 km
above the Earth's surface. It is the lowest layer
where the weather forms.
 The stratosphere is found 14.5 to 50 km above
the Earth's surface. The ozone layer that
protects the Earth from the Sun's harmful UV
radiation is found in this layer.
 The mesosphere extends from 50 to 85 km
above the Earth's surface. It protects the Earth
from the impact of space debris.
 The thermosphere is found 85 to 600 km above
the Earth's surface. It has charged particles
that are affected by the Earth's magnetic field.
The particles create the Auroras or Northern
and Southern lights.
 The exosphere is the farthest layer. It extends to
about 10 000 km above the Earth's surface.
The Geosphere
 Geo is a Greek root which means
ground. Geosphere includes all
the soil, rocks, and minerals
present in the crust to the core of
the Earth. It is divided into three
layers namely crust, mantle, and
core.
The Geosphere
 The crust is the outermost layer of the geosphere. It is
made mostly of silicate materials. There are two
different types of crust, the oceanic and continental
crusts. The thin oceanic crust that lies beneath the
oceanic floors is about 5 to 10 km thick. On the other
hand, the thicker continental crust that makes up the
continents is about 15 to 70 km thick.
 The mantle, which lies just below the crust, is made
mostly of silicate rocks rich in magnesium and iron. It is
about 2900 km thick. It has increasing temperatures at
increasing depths. For instance, the layer with the lowest
temperature is the one right beneath the crust. This
layer, which is soft enough to flow, causes the plates of
the crust to move. On the other hand, the layer with the
highest temperature is found in contact with the heat-
producing core.
 The core, which has a radius of 3400 km, is the innermost
layer of the Earth. It is made up of iron and nickel. It is
the source of internal heat because it contains
radioactive materials that release energy as they decay
into more stable substances.
The Biosphere
 Bio is a Greek root that means life. The biosphere is
comprised of all living things. It includes all microbes,
plants, and animals. It extends to the upper areas of the
atmosphere where insects and birds can be found. It
also reaches the deep parts of the oceans where
marine organisms can still survive.
 For the majority of life on Earth, the base of the food
chain comprises photosynthetic organisms. During
photosynthesis, CO2 is sequestered from the
atmosphere, while oxygen is released as a byproduct.
The biosphere is a CO2 sink, and therefore, an important
part of the carbon cycle.
The Hydrosphere
 Hydro is a Greek root which means water. Hydrosphere is composed
of all the water on Earth in any form: water vapor, liquid water, and
ice. It is comprised of 97.5% saltwater and 2.5% freshwater. It
includes all bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, rivers, and
marshes. Clouds and rain are also part of the hydrosphere.
 About 70% of the Earth is covered with liquid water
 The water on Earth is constantly moving. It moves through the
oceans in currents. Warm waters in the tropics move toward the
poles while cold water from the polar regions move toward the
tropics. Water also flows into streams and rivers and through the
rocks underground. It can also move from the Earth’s surface to the
air by evaporation and then fall back to Earth as precipitation. It
even moves into and out of the bodies of organisms.