Name of Student: MARK JOSHUA B.

DIEGO Week Number: 3-4

Course Code: SCI12 Name of Faculty: Maria Wendy Solomo Ed. D.
Course Title: Environmental Science

Assessment Tasks

Activity 1. Earth’s Physical Environment

Tasks:

1. Identify attributes of Earth’s different physical systems.

2. Describe how Earth’s position relative to the Sun affects conditions on Earth.
3. Explain how changes in Earth’s crust cause mountain formation, volcanoes, earthquakes, and
tsunamis.

Procedure:

Canales, et al. (2015). One Stranger Rock. 6 things that make life on Earth possible. Retrieved
from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/03/one-­­strange-­­rock-­­interactive---
earth-­­solar-­­system-­­milky-­­way-­­galaxy/

Instruction:
Answers should be based on your understanding after reading the provided learning resources and from
other references. Take note of the policy on plagiarism. “Cutting and pasting material from internet or
other electronic resources without proper citation of sources is an academic violation.”

A. After reading the different learning materials on earth’s physical environment, give at least five
essential features of each physical system or sphere.

Physical System/Sphere Essential Features/Attributes

(Skinner and Murck, 2011, pp. 15-16) (Skinner and Murck, 2011)
1. Geosphere a. It is the principal solid reservoir of Earth
b. Composed principally of rocks and regolith
c. Continually reshapes, renews, rebuilds and recycles
d. Creates diversity of natural landscapes and land formations
e. Principal mechanisms are tectonic cycle and rock cycle
2. Hydrosphere a. Earth’s blanket of water and ice
b. Overlaps with the other spheres
c. More than 97% of Earth’s water resides in the oceans
d. Cryosphere is the largest reservoir of hydrosphere’s freshwater
e. Plays a crucial roles in influencing climate and supporting life
3. Atmosphere a. Earth’s gaseous envelope
b. Breathable atmosphere due to presence of oxygen in right amount
c. Storage of solar energy in the Earth system
d. Converts solar energy into heat, wind and atmospheric circulation
e. Protects organisms from life-threatening radiation
4. Biosphere a. It is the life on Earth and other life-supporting factors
b. It is made up of biomes, biophysical zones and ecosystems
c. It is populational, diverse, and lives in a community
d. It is composed of living organism and abiotic factors from which
they derive energy and nutrients
e. It includes life zone and ecosphere
5. Anthroposphere a. Humans and their activities, technologies and use of resources
b. It comprises human interests and human impacts on natural Earth
system
c. Part of natural system that has been modified by human
d. Includes technosphere, the technology, machines and built
environment
e. Includes anthropogenic forces causing changes in Earth system in
global scale
Reference:
Skinner, B. and Murck, B. (2011). The Blue Planet: An Introduction to Earth Science System (3RD ed.). Hoboken, NJ: WILEY

B. Using a diagram (for a and b only) explain how does the Earth’s position affects:
a. Climate conditions
b. Tides
c. Flora and fauna diversity

A. Effects of Earth’s Position in Climate Conditions

Obliquity of Position
 Earth’s tilted position from the sun is
responsible in Earth zones’ variation of
receiving solar radiation. And with the latter
said variation, three different climate were
formed. The upper and lower zone of Earth that
receives less amount of light and heat
experiences polar climate. The middle part of
the zone receiving direct solar radiation
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.quora.com%2FWhy-do-we-have-4-climate-
zones&psig=AOvVaw1xhaM0QHsheGq5Z8N0KLaq&ust=1598694884987000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCOi0xtrQv
experiences tropical climate. And in the in
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between zones that receive mild solar
radiation, experience temperate climate.
Position in Changing Orbit Eccentricity
 When Earth’s orbit turned elliptical, Earth’s
position may become closer or more distant
from the sun. The closer it is in the sun the
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/climateChange/general/images/Orbit_eliptical.jpg
warmer the climate, the distant it is from the
sun, the cooler the climate.
 Position during Precession
 The position of earth during precession, or the
wobble of axis, exposes either more on land or
ocean. If the position in a precession exposes
more on land the climate will be warmer, while
if it exposes more of ocean, the climate will be
cooler.
https://nmcdn.io/e186d21f8c7946a19faed23c3da2f0da/8ed2672177464f2e9b193130d1000c50/files/blog/the-summer-
solstice/Precession-process-s700x558.jpg

Reference:
Kring, D, A. 2007. The Chicxulub impact event and its environmental consequences at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Palaeogeography,
Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Vol. 255, 4-21. Retrieved from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-climate-change-what-you-need-known

B. Effects of Earth’s Position in Tide

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Fscience%2Ftide&psig=AOvVaw02gckHbnMMOCwQ6ni2VPvZ&ust=1598693017808000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCNDAy9_JvesCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

 If the position of the earth, sun, and moon is straightly aligned, the high tides are higher and the
lower tides are lower. This phenomena is known as spring tide (left diagram).
 If the position of the earth, sun and moon is at a right angle, the high tides are lower and the low
tides are higher. This phenomena is known as neap tide. (right side)

C. Effects of Earth’s Position in Flora and Fauna Diversity

 Since the tilted position of Earth is responsible for the variation of climates, the flora and fauna will
also vary depending on the climate zone they live. Flora and fauna is diversified, having variations of
characteristics adapted from their different habitual climate.

C. Do Activity: Earth’s Plates. Click this link:

https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/node/1350
Answer Activity Questions 1 to 6 only.

QUESTIONS ANSWERS

1. Which major plate do As I examined the placement of Philippines in Earth’s tectonic

you live on? plate using Google Earth, I have found out that Philippine
territory lies in Eurasian plate (major plate), Philippine Sea Plate
(minor plate) and Sunda Plate (microplate).
2. Are there any plates As I examined Earth’s tectonic plate using Google Earth, I have
that lack continental found out that Nazca plate, Juan de Funca plate, Scotia Plate,
crust? Oceanic crust? Philippine Sea Plate, and Pacific plate are tectonic plates having
Which plates are no or having not enough continental crust.
these?
Arabian plate and Amurian plate are tectonic plates having not
enough oceanic crust relative to its continental crust.

3. What kinds of As I examined Earth’s plate boundaries using Google Earth, the
structures are found at structures I have commonly seen were fault-lines, trenches,
the boundaries of volcanoes, mountains, arc basin and seamounts.
plates?

4. Locate the areas of Seafloor spreading occurs in a divergent plate boundaries.

seafloor spreading at Using Google Earth I have located in Pacific plate at least five
the boundaries of the divergent boundaries where seafloor spreading may occur. (PA-
Pacific Plate. In what AU, PA-AN, PA-NZ, PA-CO, & PA-JF). Since seafloor spreading
direction does occurs in divergent plate boundaries, I can therefore say that
spreading seem to be spreading occurs in outward direction making the plates to
driving the plate? move away from each other.

5. What might account As shown in Google Earth, Mount St. Helens sits near the
for the eruption of margin between North American continental plate and Juan de
Mount St. Helens? Funca oceanic plate. Oceanic plate is denser than continental
How was the volcano plate, and if the latter said plates move toward each other, due
probably formed? to mantle’s convection current, oceanic plate will be subducted
beneath continental plate. And such phenomena will rise up the
temperature of the magma beneath Mount St. Helens and will
melt more crust, then will produce gas bubble, pressure will
increase, and finally eruption will occur. Mount St. Helen was
formed due to the convergence of the latter said plates.

6. What geological The geological processes that might have formed the island arcs
processes might have of Aleutian Islands, Philippines, Japan, and the Kuril Islands are
formed the island arcs the dynamics of plate and volcanism. As shown in the Google
of the Aleutian Islands, Earth, all of the latter said island arcs lie in convergent
the Philippines, Japan, boundaries of Pacific plate and other plates with less dense
and the Kuril Islands? crust such as Sunda Plate (Philippines), North American Plate
Explain your reasoning (Aleutian Island), and Okhotsk Plate (Kuril Island and Japan).
for your answer. Dynamism of plates, such as convergence, subducts Pacific
plate beneath less dense crust, forming volcanoes and with
volcanic activities island arcs may be formed.
 D. Reflection
Question:
“What is the significance of physical environment in human life and other living organisms?”

Earth’s Physical Environment: The Significance to Every Living Things

“This we know the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the Earth. All things are connected
like the blood unites us all.” Quoting Chief Seattle’s message is what comes up to my when I have seen
the phrase “significance of Earth’s physical environment in human life”. For both the two of us believed
that without the physical Earth we, humans, will never have lived and will never have progressed. I, as the
representative of the living organisms, want to express the great significance of physical environment in
every all living things. Earth is life supporting and originally treasures life. Everything that cherish, protect,
support, and develop life are interdependently casted into one physical form of this nurturing blue planet.
Earth’s physical environment is merely the collective form of interconnected global Earth systems. These
Earth systems were processes that maintains life to every living things. These systems were the walkable
and plantable geosphere, the drinkable and swimmable hydrosphere, the breathable and protective
atmosphere, the livable and sociable biosphere and the employable and utilizable anthroposphere.
Everything that organisms need to live are given by Earth, most especially to humans. But sad to say,
though Earth freely gives everything just to support life, we, humans who have will and intelligence, tend
to be so abusive and negligent. We pollute the land, air and water. We mistreat wildlife. We destroy
Earth’s natural land and water formations. We must become the steward of Earth’s physical environment.
We, humans, must not brag that we are superior on Earth and we must do anything we want though it’s
harming and devastating. Physical environment is the strand that interconnects human to everything,
both biotic and abiotic, in one web of life. As what Chief Seattle ended his quotes, “In the web of life we
are only a strand of it. Whatever we do to the web, we do it to ourselves”. Protect the Earth and it will
protect us more.