Earth Science

Learning
Outcomes
Learning
Outcomes
 1. describe the characteristics of Earth
that are necessary to support life

Learning
Outcomes
 2. recognize the Earth as a system
composed of subsystems
Learning
Outcomes
 3. differentiate the layers of Earth from
Learning one another and describe how energy
Outcomes flows within the layers (enrichment)
Learning
Outcomes 4. describe how energy flow influences
the water cycle (enrichment);
Learning
Outcomes
5. describe the interrelationship of
organisms to the different subsystems
of Earth
Learning
Outcomes

6. identify human activities affecting

the subsystems of the Earth and its
consequences
Lesson 1 : Earth’s Structure and Composition

Earth Science is a collective term that studies all major parts of our
planet, namely land, sea, air the interior structure of our planet,
and distribution of living organisms. In this part of the module, you
will learn that in these parts of the Earth lead to four major
subdivisions of Earth’s systems: geosphere, hydrosphere,
atmosphere, and biosphere. The four prefixes, geo, hydro, atmos,
and bio, each means earth, water, vapor, and life, respectively.
Sphere describes the distribution of matter that occupies these
regions: it is spherical in shape.
Fill in the missing letters to form the words or phrases implied.
Fill in the missing letters to form the words or phrases implied.
Fill in the missing letters to form the words or phrases implied.
Fill in the missing letters to form the words or phrases implied.
Fill in the missing letters to form the words or phrases implied.
 1. Liquid water
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life
Characteristics
of Earth that
1. Liquid water
Sustain Life
 Liquid water
Characteristics • most of Earth’s surface is about 75
of Earth that percent and covered with water
Sustain Life
 Liquid water
Characteristics
of Earth that • present in the atmosphere, ground,
Sustain Life freshwater lakes, rivers, streams; and
even in the polar ice caps
 Liquid water
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life
• found in all living things
 Liquid water
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life
• Plants has 90–95 percent water by
weight
 Liquid water
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life

• Adult humans are about 60 percent

water by weight
 Liquid water
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life

• important for the many life functions

carried out by cells, tissues, and organs
 Liquid water
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life

• It helps dissolve certain nutrients and

carry them throughout an organism
 Liquid water
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life

• also important for disposing of bodily

wastes
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life
2. “Goldilocks”
conditions
 2. “Goldilocks”
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life
conditions
 Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life
3. has enough gravitational force
to keep most gases close to its
surface
3. has enough
gravitational force to
keep most gases close to Characteristics

its surface
of Earth that
Sustain Life
4. moon
Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life
4. moon Characteristics
of Earth that
Sustain Life
 1. Temperature

2. Water

3. Energy

The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field

sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the

very hot temperature of the core
 1. Temperature
2. Water

3. Energy

The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field

sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the

very hot temperature of the core
 1. Temperature

2. Water
3. Energy

The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field

sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the

very hot temperature of the core
 1. Temperature

2. Water

3. Energy
The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field

sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the

very hot temperature of the core
 1. Temperature

2. Water

3. Energy

4. Right Distance from the

The following are the factors that
Sun
make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field
sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the

very hot temperature of the core
 1. Temperature

2. Water

3. Energy

The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of

sustaining varied life forms which
5. Strong Magnetic Field
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the

very hot temperature of the core
 1. Temperature

2. Water

3. Energy

The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field

sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems
6. Nutrients
7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the

very hot temperature of the core
 1. Temperature

2. Water

3. Energy

The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field

sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases
8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the
very hot temperature of the core
 1. Temperature

2. Water

3. Energy

The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field

sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate

tectonics from the very hot
temperature of the core
 1. Temperature

2. Water

3. Energy

The following are the factors that 4. Right Distance from the Sun

make our planet capable of 5. Strong Magnetic Field

sustaining varied life forms which
thrive in the various ecosystems 6. Nutrients

7. Greenhouse gases

8. It is protected by the plate tectonics from the

very hot temperature of the core
Systems of the Earth
Supply the blanks with the different subsystems of the earth which
are shown through the illustration.
Earth is one of the inner planets in the solar system. According to radiometric
dating record, it is said to be 4.56 billion years old. It is the only planet in the
solar system to harbor life. Earth is a closed system. This means that if it gets
what it wants, it does not return it back. It gets energy from the Sun but
returns only some back to space. Biogeochemical cycles drive the Earth’s
subsystems. It is through these cycles that earth materials are recycled and
replenish.
When changes in Earth’s systems (which refers to Earth’s interacting physical,
chemical, and biological processes) have finally settled, it was presumed that
it evolved into four subsystems (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and
biosphere) that interact to carry out many different natural processes. The
interaction of matter and energy was restricted within and, hence, Earth
would have its own unique system involving the interplay of physical,
chemical, and biological processes all made possible because of the
composition and nature of its subsystems.
 ATMOSPHERE GEOSPHERE

BIOSPHERE HYDROSPHERE
GEOSPHERE
• the solid sphere of the earth
• This is where geologic processes take place
• includes the interior structure, rocks and
minerals, landforms, down to the deep depths of
the core, and the processes that shape Earth’s
surface
• All the continents and the ocean floor
• not uniform in its composition
GEOSPHERE

Based on the
characteristics of matter
that occupies each
layer, it is divided into
three main parts: the
core, the mantle, and
the crust.
GEOSPHERE
HYDROSPHERE
• is the total amount of water found on Earth
• includes water in various forms – whether in ice, vapor, or
liquid, found on or below the surface of Earth and in gas in
the atmosphere
• covers 70% of the entire surface of Earth, and most of it is
ocean water
• has been associated with the existence of life
• 98% of the water on Earth is saltwater
HYDROSPHERE
The Hydrological Cycle
The Hydrological Cycle
The Hydrological Cycle
ATMOSPHERE
• A set of layers of gases that blankets the planet held by
the planet’s gravity
• It is consisted of 78% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93%
argon and 0.04% water vapor including all other gases.
• Different layers of the atmosphere include the
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and
thermosphere.
ATMOSPHERE
 ATMOSPHERE
THERMOSPHERE

MESOSPHERE

Layers of the Atmosphere

STRAT0SPHERE

TROPOSPHERE
Layers of the Atmosphere

TROPOSPHERE
• densest among the layers
• Because temperature drops with altitude, warm air on the
surface of the Earth rises readily
• Air molecules travel up and back down causing the
formation of clouds and eventually rain from the moisture
in the air
• clouds are as high as 12 miles or 65 000 feet near the
equator and 4 miles or 20 000 feet over poles in winter
 ATMOSPHERE
THERMOSPHERE

MESOSPHERE

Layers of the Atmosphere

STRATOSPHERE

TROPOSPHERE
Layers of the Atmosphere

STRATOSPHERE
• has strong, steady horizontal winds which are
advantageous to long-distance flights
• The upper region is the ozone layer at about 6.2 miles or
about 33 000 feet above Earth’s surface which contains a
high concentration of ozone
• It was determined that certain sprays and chemicals used
in modern appliances use ozone-depleting substances
(ODS) that directly destroy the ozone molecules in the
ozone layer.
 ATMOSPHERE
THERMOSPHERE

MESOSPHERE

Layers of the Atmosphere

STRATOSPHERE

TROPOSPHERE
Layers of the Atmosphere

MESOSPHERE
• the temperature reaches a minimum of -90°C and is
considered to be the coldest layer
• Radiative emission of the carbon dioxide in this layer
allows for absorption of solar heat and emits the heat
back to space
• is important in protecting Earth from planetary debris as
this is where most of the space rocks, like meteors, get
burned up or break down into smaller pieces
 ATMOSPHERE
THERMOSPHERE

MESOSPHERE

Layers of the Atmosphere

STRATOSPHERE

TROPOSPHERE
Layers of the Atmosphere

THERMOSPHERE
• is the hottest because it absorbs highly energetic heat
from the sun
• the temperature in this layer can rise higher and reach
beyond 1 000°C.

• The lower part of the thermosphere is the ionosphere

where most collision of oxygen and nitrogen particles are
electrically charged by the solar wind
Layers of the Atmosphere

THERMOSPHERE
• The solar wind is a stream of energized, charged particles
flowing from the sun.
• The charged particles, called ions, consists of electrons
and protons with high kinetic energy and the high
temperature of the corona.
• As solar winds get blocked by Earth’s magnetic field,
some of the ions are able to reach ionosphere
• The energy released during the collisions causes a colorful
glow around the poles, called auroras (borealis, australis)
 ATMOSPHERE
THERMOSPHERE

MESOSPHERE

Layers of the Atmosphere

STRATOSPHERE

TROPOSPHERE
 BIOSPHERE
• is a closed system that makes up all the living
components of Earth
• In this system an organism can consume another
organism to allow energy to circulate to the ecosystem
• the biosphere interacts and exchanges matter and
energy with the other systems
• It helps drive the biochemical cycling of carbon,
nitrogen, phosphorus, Sulphur, and other elements
BIOSPHERE
 BIOSPHERE
The structural organization of the biosphere can be
presented in many ways, but the most convenient
conceptual and physical organization of the biosphere
is arranged from smallest unit of living things to the
largest. Incidentally, this is also how biology is
organized as a field of study. This organization is also
sometimes called the hierarchy of life or the pyramid
of life.
BIOSPHERE
 Earth Materials
You are expected to demonstrate the following:
• identify common rock-forming minerals, including those that are important to the
society; and
• classify rocks into igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
Minerals
Mineral is a
(1)naturally occurring
(2)inorganic
(3)solid that possesses a crystalline structure and
(4)definite chemical composition.
For a substance to be considered a mineral, it must satisfy all the elements of
the definition.

(1) naturally occurring – sets apart materials formed by natural processes to those
synthesized in the laboratory. This means that synthetic diamonds and other useful
minerals produced by chemicals are not considered minerals.
(2) inorganic – means that minerals are not organic in origin. Organic
substances are those produced by living organisms or are similar to the ones
produced by organisms. Pearl is not considered a mineral since it was formed
by a mollusk.
(3) solid that possesses a crystalline structure – rules out gases and liquids.
Solid is a state of matter characterized by tight locking of particles such that
their shape and volume is fixed.
(4) definite chemical composition – implies that minerals can be expressed by
a specific chemical formula.

For example, quartz is SiO₂. Examples of mineral use in our daily lives:
1. Halite (salt) for cooking
2. Graphite (pencil) for writing
3. Diamond and gold as jewelry
Properties of Minerals
1. Luster – it is the quality and intensity of reflected light exhibited by the mineral.
a. Metallic – generally opaque and exhibit a resplendent shine similar to a polished
metal
b. b. Non-metallic – vitreous (glassy), adamantine (brilliant/diamond-like), resinous,
silky, pearly, dull (earthy), greasy, etc.

2. Color – Color maybe a unique identifying property of certain minerals (e.g. malachite –
green, azurite – blue). There are also lots of minerals that share similar or the same color/s.
In addition, some minerals can exhibit a range of colors. The mineral quartz for example,
can be pink (rose quartz), purple (amethyst), orange (citrine), white (colorless quartz) etc.

3. Streak – Streak on the other hand is the color of a mineral in powdered form. Note that
the color of a mineral could be different from the streak. For example, pyrite (FeS2) exhibits
golden color (hence the other term of pyrite which is Fool’s Gold) but has a black or dark
gray streak.
4. Hardness – it is a measure of the resistance of a mineral to abrasion or scratching.
 The Rock Cycle
Magma is molten rock which may contain suspended solids and gases. When magma is
brought to the surface by volcanic eruption, it solidifies into an extrusive igneous rock.
Magma brought to the surface is called lava. Magma can also solidify very slowly beneath
the surface and is called an intrusive rock. The intrusive igneous rock maybe exposed after
uplift and erosion removes the overlying rocks. It undergoes weathering and further
erosion. The resulting debris is transported and ultimately deposited as sediment. The
sediment is lithified, or cemented, or consolidated into a rock called a sedimentary rock.
The rock is buried by additional layers of sediment and sedimentary rock, burying the
layered rock in the uppermost crust up to a depth of several kilometers. Tectonic forces
transport the sedimentary rock into the lower levels of the crust. Heat and higher pressure
at the lower levels of the continental crust transform the rock into a metamorphic rock. If
the temperature gets hotter, the metamorphic rock can partially melt producing magma
and completing the cycle.