Earth Science
CHARACTERISTICS OF EARTH THAT ARE CAPABLE OF
SUPPORTING LIFE
1. Atmosphere- The presence of oxygen and carbon
dioxide permits life on Earth.
• Carbon dioxide is used by photosynthetic organisms,
such as plants and algae, to convert the energy from the
sun to usable energy through the process of
photosynthesis.
• The oxygen makes it livable for living organisms
including humans for respiration and for our cells to
function.
• Ozone or O3 is abundant in the form of the ozone layer.
This layer absorbs the ultraviolet wavelengths, and the
absorption of this radiation heats the air.
2. Soil Vegetation- The soil is a mixture of minerals,
water, air, organic matter, and organisms.
• The soil is a mixture of minerals, water, air, organic
matter, and organisms.
3. Hydrosphere- contains all the water on our planet
including ice and vapor.
FACTORS THAT MAKE THE EARTH A HABITABLE PLANET
1. Temperature
2. Water
3. Atmosphere
4. Energy
5. Nutrients
Earth’s Subsystem
1. Atmosphere - The word atmosphere comes from the
Greek roots atmos which means gas,
and sphaira which means globe or ball. It is
considered as the gaseous blanket of the planet.
2. Geosphere- Geo is a Greek root that means
ground. Geosphere includes all the soil, rocks, and
minerals present in the crust to the core of the Earth.
3. Hydrosphere- Hydro is a Greek root that means
water. The hydrosphere is composed of all the water
on Earth in any form: water vapor, liquid water, and
ice.
Water Cycle- Water Cycle is called the hydrologic cycle.
The water cycle is the endless process that connects all of
that water. It joins the Earth’s oceans, land, and
atmosphere.
4. Biosphere- Bio is a Greek root that means life.
The biosphere is comprised of all living things.
Minerals- Are the building blocks of rocks.
- are solid substances that are present in nature and
can be made of one element or more elements
combined
Characteristics of Minerals.
1. Naturally Occurring
2. Inorganic
3. Homogenous Solid
4. Definite Chemical Composition
5. Orderly Crystalline Structure
Properties of Minerals
1. Color - mineral’s color may change depending on the
surface.
2. Streak- color of mineral in powdered form.
3. Hardness- - Minerals resistance to scratching
4. Cleavage- Mineral breaks along a flat surface or into
sheets.
Fracture- when a mineral breaks with lots of jagged
edges/ uneven.
5. Crystalline Structure or Habit- - minerals’ shape and
structure
6. Diaphaneity/ Amount of transparency- - ability to
allow light to pass through it. This is affected by
chemical makeup of the mineral sample.
7. Luster-How light is reflected off a surface
8. Tenacity- Describes the mineral reaction to stress
Rocks- arenaturally occurring solid aggregates of
minerals sometimes with non-mineral solid particles.
Classification of Rocks
1. Igneous- Solidification from molten rock. Formed
through the cooling and Solidification of magma or
lava.
2 Main Types
a. Intrusive – found inside the volcano or below
the surface of the earth.
b. Extrusive- found outside the volcano or beneath
the surface of the Earth.
2. Sedimentary Rocks- are formed from pre-existing
rocks or pieces of once-living organisms.
Types of Sedimentary Rocks
1. Clastic- composed of solid products of
weathering (gravel, sand, silt and clay) cemented
together.
2. Biogenic/ Organic/Biochemical
- Composed of materials formed by the activity of
living organisms (plant matter) and many limestones
which are made up of the shells or other skeletal
fragments from marine organisms.
3. Chemically Precipitated / Chemical
- Form from direct precipitation/ crystallization of the
dissolved ions in water.
*Sedimentary rocks are the only type of rocks that may
contain fossils or evidence of past life.
4. Metamorphic Rocks- are changed as a result of
exposure to intense heat or pressure.
Types of Metamorphic Rocks
1. Foliated
2. Non-Foliated
Importance of Rocks in the Society
1. Natural objects such as rocks and minerals can be utilized in
beatification of tourist spots.
Examples. Lions head in Baguio, Different rock formation
2. Rocks can also be used in infrastructures.
3. Rocks can be used in making of monuments.
4. It also helps us to develop new technologies that we used
in our daily lives.
Mining- is the process of mineral extraction from a rock
or ore.
2 Methods of Mining
1. Surface Mining- is used to extract ore minerals near
the surface of the earth. The soil and rocks that
covered the ores are removed through blasting.
a. Open pit ming- This is the most common type of
surface mining. It is used to mine gravel and
sand and even rock.
b. Strip Mining- This mining type involves the
removal of a thin parallel strip of overburden
(earth or soil) above a desired deposit,
dumping the removed overburden behind the
deposit.
c. Dredging- This is the process of mining
materials from the bottom of a body of water,
including rivers, lakes, and oceans.
2. Underground mining- is used to extract the rocks,
minerals and other precious stories that can be
found beneath the earth’s surface.
Mineral Processing- is the process of extracting minerals
from the ore, refining them, and preparing these
minerals for use.
Steps in Mineral processing
1. Sampling – is the removal/ taking of a portion which
represents a whole needed for the analysis of this
material.
2. Analysis – is important to evaluate the valuable
component in an ore. It includes the testing the
chemical, mineral and particle size analysis.
3. Comminution – is the process where the valuable
components of the ore are separated through
crushing and grinding. This process begins by
crushing the ores to a particular size and finishes it
by grinding the ores into a powder form.
Renewable Resources- are those that can be naturally
replenished over time, typically on a human timescale.
These resources are considered sustainable because their
use does not deplete them to the point of exhaustion.
Non-Renewable Resources- are finite and cannot be
naturally replenished on a human timescale. Once these
resources are depleted, they are gone.
Fossils- are basically remains of plants and animals that
died millions of years ago.
Major Types of Fossil Fuels
1. Coal
2. Petroleum
3. Natural Gas
Energy Resources
1. Geothermal energy is the heat that comes from the
sub-surface of the earth. It is contained in the rocks
and fluids beneath the earth’s crust and can be
found as far down to the earth’s hot molten rock,
magma.
-To produce power from geothermal energy, wells
are dug a mile deep into underground reservoirs to
access the steam and hot water there, which can
then be used to drive turbines connected to
electricity generators.
2. Hydroelectric energy- is energy obtained from moving
water that mechanically turn turbines to generate electricity.
3. Wind Energy
4. Solar Energy
2 forms of water
1. Freshwater
2. Salt water
2 Sources of water based on construction / location
1. Natural sources
a. Rivers and streams
b. Lakes and ponds
c. Natural Springs
d. Glacial Meltwater
e. Wetland
2. Man-Made/ Artificial
a. Dams
b. Wells
c. Reservoir
d. Water Treatment Plants
2 Main Sources of Water
1. Surface water
2. Underground water
Water on Earth can become contaminated through various
natural and human-induced processes.
- Contamination occurs when harmful substances or
pollutants enter water sources, making the water
unsafe for human consumption, aquatic life, or other
uses.
Common ways in which water on Earth can become
contaminated:
1. Industrial Activities: Discharge of industrial
pollutants, such as heavy metals, chemicals, solvents,
and wastewater, into rivers, streams, and
groundwater can contaminate water sources.
2. Agricultural Runoff: The use of fertilizers, pesticides,
and herbicides in agriculture can lead to runoff of
these chemicals into nearby water bodies. This runoff
can cause water pollution and harm aquatic
ecosystems.
3. Mining Operations: Mining activities can release
heavy metals and toxic substances into nearby rivers
and groundwater, leading to contamination. Acid
mine drainage is a common problem associated with
mining operations.
4. Oil Spills: Accidental oil spills from oil tankers,
pipelines, and offshore drilling platforms can result in
the release of crude oil and other hydrocarbons into
oceans and coastal waters.
5. Sewage and Wastewater: Inadequate treatment of
sewage and wastewater can introduce bacteria,
viruses, pathogens, and organic matter into water
 sources. This can lead to the spread of waterborne
diseases.
6. Landfills: Improperly managed landfills can release
leachate, a contaminated liquid that forms when
rainwater percolates through waste materials.
Leachate can contaminate groundwater and surface
water.
7. Natural Events: Natural disasters like floods,
earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions can disrupt water
sources and introduce contaminants from the
environment.
Ways of preventing water contamination.
3. Hazardous- refers to waste materials that are
potentially harmful to human health, the
environment, or both due to their toxic, flammable,
reactive, or corrosive properties.
According to DENR these are the color of trash bin for
different wastes.
1. Black- non biodegradable
2. Green- Biodegradable
3R’s/ 5R’s- are key to sustainable waste management
and environmental conservation.

1. Enforce strike regulations on industrial discharges to

limit the release of harmful chemicals, heavy metals,
and pollutants into water sources.
2. Encourage industries to implement green
technologies and pollution prevention measures to
reduce their environmental impact.
3. Strictly enforce regulations regarding the disposal of
hazardous materials, ensuring that they are stored,
transported, and disposed of safely.

HUMAN ACTIVITIES THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY AND

QUANTITY OF THE SOIL

1. Farming
2. Waste Disposal
3. Construction of Structures

Ways on how to improve the quality of soil

1. Compost- Adding compost to the soil enriches it with

organic matter, which improves soil structure,
nutrient content, and microbial activity.
2. Mulching- Using organic mulch, such as straw, leaves,
or wood chips, on the soil's surface helps retain
moisture, reduce erosion, and gradually improve soil
quality as it decomposes.
3. Crop rotation- involves in planting dissimilar types of
crops in a particular field each season. This practice
helps break pest and disease cycles, enhances
nutrient cycling, and can improve soil quality over
time.
4. Reducing Tillage- Reducing or eliminating tillage
minimizes soil disturbance, prevents erosion, and
preserves soil structure. No-till and reduced-till
practices can improve soil quality over time.

Waste- is unwanted or unusable materials which are

disposed of or are intended to be disposed by the
provision of the national law.

Kinds of waste

1. Solid waste
2. Liquid waste
3. Gaseous waste

Classification of Waste

1. Biodegradable- refers to a property of materials that

can be broken down naturally by biological processes
into harmless substances.
2. Non-biodegradable- refers to materials and
substances that do not naturally break down or
decompose through biological processes and
environmental factors over a reasonably short period.