Module 2: Earth's

Subsystems
EARTH SCIENCE 11
LEARNING COMPETENCY:
The learners should be able to explain that the Earth consists

of four subsystems, accross whose bounderies matter and

energy flow
Realize that everything is
connected to
everything else
LEONARDO DA VINCI
EARTH
•The third planet in the Solar System

•According to radiometric dating, it is said to be 4.56 billion years

old

•Revolves the sun around 365-366 days

•The only planet to harbor life

WHAT IS A HOW DOES A SYSTEM WORK?

The Earth and its subsystems “work” by movement

SYSTMEM? or transfer of matter and energy and the processes involved with these

transfers
It is an interconnected set of
CLIMATE CHANGE

components that are linked through

interconnections that function to

create an outcome
POLLUTION

TWO BASIC KINDS OF

SYSTEMS: OPEN AND CLOSED SYSTEM

A closed system is a system where only energy is transferred or exchanged

with its surroundings. Matter is not included. An open system on the other

hand includes the transfer and exchange of both energy and matter with

the surrounding system.

Closed Vs. Open
TAKE A LOOK AT EACH PICTURE. WHAT CAN
YOU REMEMBER FROM THE TERMS
ATMOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERE, GEOSPHERE AND
BIOSPHERE?
FIRST SUBSYSTEM:
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.

The atmosphere has different layers – troposphere,

stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

 LAYERS OF ATMOSPHERE
TROPOSPHERE STRATOSPHERE MESOSPHERE THERMOSPHERE

The troposphere is the The next layer up is called Above the Presentations are

lowest layer of our the stratosphere. The stratosphere is the communication tools that

atmosphere. Starting at stratosphere extends from mesosphere. It extends can be demonstrations,

ground level, it extends the top of the troposphere upward to a height of lectures, speeches, reports,

upward to about 10 km (6.2 to about 50 km (31 miles) about 85 km and more. Most of the time,

miles or about 33,000 feet) above the ground. The (53 miles) above our planet. they’re presented before an

above sea level. Most infamous ozone layer is Most meteors burn up in the audience. They have a

clouds appear found within the mesosphere. Unlike the variety of purposes, making

here, mainly because 99% stratosphere. Ozone stratosphere, temperatures them powerful tools.

of the water vapor in the molecules in this layer once again grow colder as

atmosphere is found in the absorb high-energy you rise up through the

troposphere. Air pressure ultraviolet (UV) light from mesosphere. The coldest

drops, and temperatures the Sun, converting the UV temperatures in Earth's

get colder, as you climb energy into heat. atmosphere, about -90° C

higher in the troposphere (-130°

F), are found near the top

of this layer.
LAYERS OF ATMOSPHERE
EXOSPHERE IONOSPHERE

Although some experts The ionosphere is not

consider the thermosphere a distinct layer like the

to be the uppermost layer others mentioned above.

of our atmosphere, others Instead, the ionosphere is a

consider the exosphere to series of regions in parts of

be the actual "final frontier" the mesosphere and

of Earth's thermosphere where high-

gaseous envelope. energy

radiation from the Sun has

knocked electrons loose

from their parent atoms and

molecules.
SECOND SUBSYSTEM:
GEOSPHERE The geosphere is considered that portion of the Earth system

that includes the Earth's interior, rocks and minerals,

landforms and the processes that shape the Earth's surface.

The Earth itself is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid,

with a radius of 6,357 kilometers (km) from the Earth's center

to the North Pole and 6,378 km from the center to the

Equator.
 When the earth was formed, the heaviest materials sank to the

center. These materials form the Earth’s core which are divided

into outer and inner core.

CORE The outer core

core is
is made mostly of iron and nickel. The outer

approximately 2300 km

temperature between 40000C and 50000C.

thick. It is very hot with a

Earth’s molten metallic core gave rise to magnetic field which

is very crucial to life on our planet. It protects the planet from

the charged particles of the solar wind.

The inner core is about 1250 km thick and is the

hottest layer. The temperature of the inner core is believed to

be approximately 5400 degrees Celsius. This heat is caused by

three elements: residual heat from the formation of the earth,

gravitational forces from the moon and the sun and the

radioactive decay of the earth’s inner elements.

 The mantle is Earth’s second layer. The mantle has two main

parts, the upper mantle and the lower mantle. The upper

mantle is attached to the layer above it called the crust.

MANTLE
Together the crust and the upper mantle form a fixed shell

called the lithosphere, which is broken into sections called

tectonic plates. Directly below the lithosphere is a less fixed,

warmer region of the upper mantle called asthenosphere. Here

the temperatures are so high that the rock that makes up the

asthenosphere melts into liquid. Only tiny parts of the

asthenosphere are liquid but it is soft enough to move pushing

around the plates above. Gutenberg discontinuity is the

boundary between the lower mantle and the outer core.

 The crust is everything we can see and study directly. The thinnest

layer of the Earth, the crust still measures about 40 km on

average, ranging from 5–70 km (~3–44 miles) in depth. But at the

scale of the planet, that’s less than the skin of an apple.

CRUST There are two types of crust: continental and oceanic crust.

Oceanic crust can be found at the bottom of the oceans or below

the continental crust; it is generally harder and deeper, consisting

of denser rocks like basalt, while continental crust contains

granite-type rocks and sediments. The continental crust thicker on

land.
THIRD SUBSYSTEM:
HYDROSPHERE The hydrosphere is the sum of all water on Earth and the

water cycle that distributes it around the planet. Earth is

unique in the solar system for its abundant surface waters.

Our orbital distance from the sun, in addition to our unique

atmosphere, gives Earth the right temperature in our middle-

aged solar system to have water as a liquid, and lots of it. It's

because of the hydrosphere that life flourishes on Earth.

HYDROLOGICAL
CYCLE (WATER CYCLE)

•It is the cycle that explains the

continuous movement of the ater,

above or below the Earth’s surface

•It also involves the transfer of

energy (e.g. evaporation →

condensation)

•The sun is the driving agent of this

cycle
FOURTH SUBSYSTEM:
BIOSPHERE The biosphere contains the entirety of Earth’s living things. It is

sometimes referred to as the “zone of life”. From a

geophysical standpoint, biosphere is the global ecological

system integrating all living things and their relationship

including their interactions with the elements of the

lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.

 Five Major Biomes

AQUATIC FOREST DESERT

includes freshwater (ponds, lakes, rivers) can be tropical, temperate, boreal forest characterized by low rainfall (less than 50

and marine (ocean, estuaries). The aquatic and taiga. Each type of forest has cm) per year. Most deserts have

region houses numerous species of plants distinctive features dominated by grasses specialized vegetation as well as

and animals rather than large shrubs or trees. specialized animals that can adapt to its

condition.
 Five Major Biomes

GRASSLAND
TUNDRA
made of rolling hills
coldest of all
of various grasses and could be divided into
biomes. It has low biotic diversity and
savannas and temperate grasslands.
simple vegetation
They receive just enough rain to sustain grass but

not enough to grow many trees.

There are few trees that grow in grasslands but

sporadic wildfires keep them

under control.
 HOW ARE THESE SUBSYSTEMS
INTERACTING WITH EACH
OTHER?
ATMOSPHERE: INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER EARTH SYSTEM COMPONENTS

Biosphere: The atmosphere supplies oxygen and carbon dioxide that form the basis of life processes (photosynthesis and

respiration).

Geosphere: Gases in the atmosphere react with water to produce weak acids that aid in the breakdown of rock.

Typhoon formation (atmosphere) sweep across the ocean (hydrosphere)

and onto the land (geosphere), damaging the dwellings of people (biosphere) who

live along the coast.

 GEOSPHERE: INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER EARTH SYSTEM

Atmosphere: Volcanism spews significant amounts of gases into the atmosphere. For example, volcanoes inject large amounts of

sulphur dioxide to the upper atmosphere, resulting in global cooling.

Hydrosphere: The formation of many minerals involves incorporation or release of

water. Also, water speeds up chemical reactions that dissolves ions from the mineral and carries them away.

Biosphere: Nutrients released from rocks during their breakdown are dissolved in

water (to be used by aquatic plants).

 HYDROSPHERE: INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER EARTHSYSTEM COMPONENTS

Atmosphere: Water is transferred between the hydrosphere and biosphere by evaporation and precipitation. Energy is also

exchanged in this process.

Biosphere: Water is necessary for the transport of nutrients and waste products in organisms.

Geosphere: Water is the primary agent for the chemical and mechanical breakdown of rock

(weathering), to form loose rock fragments and soil, and sculpts the surface of

the Earth.
 BIOSPHERE: INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER EARTH SYSTEM COMPONENTS

Atmosphere: Life processes involve many chemical reactions which either extract or emit gases to and from the atmosphere (e.g.

photosynthesis consumes carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, whereas respiration does the opposite).

Hydrosphere: Evaporation of water from leaf surfaces (transpiration) transfers water to the atmosphere.

Geosphere: The biosphere is connected to the geosphere through soils (mixtures of air, mineral matter, organic matter, and water).

Plant activity (e.g. root growth and organic acid production) are also for the mechanical and chemical

breakdown of the rocks.

YOUR
CHALLENGE
Perform ACTIVITY 1: MY SYSTEM in

your Learning Activity Sheet pg. 19 and

answer the guide questions.