SUBSYSTEM OF THE EARTH

 Cryosphere is the frozen water part of the Earth system that includes snow and ice on land, ice
caps, glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice. As the world warms due to increasing greenhouse gases
being added to the atmosphere by humans, the snow and ice are melting.
 Atmosphere one of the main components of Earth’s interdependent physical systems is the
atmosphere. An atmosphere is the layers of gases surrounding a planet or other celestial body.
Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other
gases. These gases are found in layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere,
and exosphere) defined by unique features such as temperature and pressure. The atmosphere
protects life on earth by shielding it from incoming ultraviolet (UV) radiation, keeping the planet
warm through insulation, and preventing extremes between day and night temperatures. The
sun heats layers of the atmosphere causing it to convect driving air movement and weather
patterns around the world.
 Geosphere is the earth itself: the rocks, minerals, and landforms of the surface and interior.
Below the crust - which varies in depth from about 5 km beneath the ocean floor to up to 70 km
below the land surface, temperatures are high enough for deformation and a paste-like flow of
elements. At one time, roughly 200 million years ago, the continents were joined together in a
supercontinent called Pangaea, but since then c plates have slowly separated, creating the
arrangement of the continents we are accustomed to today.
 Biosphere is life exists. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees to the
dark environment of ocean trenches, to lush rain forests and high mountaintops.
 Hydrosphere is the total amount of water on a planet. The hydrosphere includes water that is
on the surface of the planet, underground, and in the air.