What should we know about the

Earth’s spheres?
■ Where is each system?
■ What does each system do?
■ What does each system provide for the
planet Earth?
■ What are the components of each system?
■ What are the characteristics of each
system?
■ How do the Earth's systems interact?
 Earth Systems Overview
The Earth is itself a system, consisting
of four major interacting components:

● atmosphere
● biosphere
● hydrosphere
● geosphere

Let’s examine each of these four

spheres ………
 The Atmosphere
The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of air - the
atmosphere.
• The atmosphere consists of four unique layers:
○ troposphere
○ stratosphere
○ mesosphere
○ thermosphere
• The atmosphere reaches over 400 km upwards
• The atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen (about
78%) and oxygen (about 21%). Other components exist
in small quantities.
 The Biosphere (Ecosphere)
● The biosphere is the
“life zone” of the Earth
and includes all living
organisms and all organic
matter that has not yet
decomposed.
● The biosphere is made up
of the parts of the Earth
where life exists, in a
series of food chains.
● Energy and nutrients, like
carbon, are transferred
from one level of the food
chain to the next.
 Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere contains all the
water found on our planet.
• Surface Water: Includes the ocean
as well as water from lakes, rivers
and creeks.
• Ground Water: Includes water
trapped in the soil and groundwater.
• Atmosphere: water vapor.
• Frozen water: Includes ice caps and
glaciers. Also called the cryosphere.
• 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. (0.9% in liquid form)
 Geosphere

The geosphere is the Earth

itself: the rocks, minerals and
landforms of the Earth’s
surface and its interior.
• Includes volcanoes, rocks,
minerals, coal, oil etc.
•Mineral resources are mined
from the geosphere.
 (Cryosphere)
Earth scientists often define the
cryosphere as a stand-alone
sphere of the planet Earth.

The cryosphere contains those

parts of the Earth’s surface where
water is in a solid form - sea, lake
and river ice, snow cover,
glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets and
permafrost.

The cryosphere has special and

important physical properties.
 Earth System Science
Earth System Science
is the study of how the
four spheres of the Earth
system interact
continually, each
affecting the others.

Example: A scientist
who studies global
warming is an Earth
System Scientist.
 System Interactions
Volcanoes erupt, sending ash and
gases into the air and sending
lava and ash down onto
surrounding forests and human
habitations.

Geosphere

Atmosphere Biosphere
 System Interactions
Hurricanes sweep across the
ocean and onto the land,
damaging the dwellings of people
who live along the coast.

Hydrosphere

Atmosphere Geosphere

Biosphere
 System Interactions
Earthquakes can damage buildings which
may kill people, as well as cause fires which
release gases into the air. Earthquakes in
the ocean may cause a tsunami which can
eventually hit land and kill both animals
and people.

Biosphere

Geosphere Atmosphere

Hydrosphere