EARTH SCIENCE (LESSON 2)

THE EARTH'S SUBSYSTEMS

 A system is an organized group of related objects or components that work independently, and
interact to create a whole. The sizes of systems vary; however, all systems have boundaries.

 Everything in earth’s system can be placed into one of four major subsystems: land, water, living
things, or air. The four subsystems are called “spheres” .

Earth System
 A system, is an organized group of related objects or components that work independently and
interact to create a whole. The sizes of systems vary; however, all systems have boundaries. Most
systems, like the Earth system, have matter and energy that flow freely through the system. There are
two types of systems: open and closed systems. An open system includes the transfer and exchange
of both matter and energy with the system’s surroundings. A closed system on the other hand, is a
system where only energy is transferred or exchanged with its surroundings. Matter is not part of this
exchange. Our Earth system is considered a closed system since there is only an exchange of heat or
energy and no exchange of matter.

 Open System – transfer and exchange of both matter and energy.

 Closed System – transfer and exchange of energy only.

 The Earth is essentially a closed system. It receives energy from the sun and returns some of this
energy to space. It consists of four components or subsystems: Lithosphere (also called Geosphere),
Atmosphere, Biosphere, and Hydrosphere.

Atmosphere
 The atmosphere is the thin gaseous layer that envelopes the lithosphere.
 The present atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen (N), 21% oxygen (O²), 0.9% argon, and trace
amount of other gasses.
 One of the most important processes by which the heat on the Earth’s surface is redistributed is
through atmospheric circulation.
 There is also a constant exchange of heat and moisture between the atmosphere and the hydrosphere
through the hydrologic cycle.

Lithosphere
 The lithosphere includes the rocks of the crust and mantle, the metallic liquid outer core, and the
solid metallic inner core.
 Plate Tectonics is an important process in shaping the surface of the Earth.
EARTH SCIENCE (LESSON 2)
 The primary driving mechanism is the Earth’s internal heat, such as that in mantle convection.

Biosphere
 The biosphere is the set of all life forms on Earth.
 It covers all ecosystems – from the soil to the rainforest, from the mangroves to coral reefs, and from
the plankton-rich ocean surface to the deep sea.
 For the majority of life on Earth, the base of the food chain comprises photosynthetic organisms.
During photosynthesis, CO² is sequestered from the atmosphere, while oxygen is released as a
byproduct (ff: starch is the real product during photosynthesis). The biosphere is a CO² sink, and
therefore, an important part of the carbon cycle.

Hydrosphere
 About 70% of the Earth is covered with liquid water (hydrosphere) and much of it is in the form of
ocean water.
 Only 3% of Earth’s water is fresh: two-thirds are in the form of ice, and the remaining one-third is
present in streams, lakes, and groundwater.
 The oceans are important sinks for CO² through direct exchange with the atmosphere and indirectly
through the weathering of rocks.
 Heat is absorbed and redistributed on the surface of the Earth through ocean circulation.