COR 008: Earth Science

Module #5 Student’s Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

1. ) Describe the properties of Earth necessary to support life.

Earth possesses a unique set of properties that make it conducive to supporting life as we know it.
These characteristics create a delicate balance that allows for the existence of diverse ecosystems
and a wide variety of organisms.

2. ) Determine how important each characteristic is to sustaining life on Earth.

Each of the characteristics mentioned plays an important role in sustaining life on Earth,
and their importance is interrelated. The combination of these characteristics creates a
delicate balance that allows for the emergence, evolution, and maintenance of diverse
life forms.

Skill-building Activities

A. Identify which characteristic of a habitable planet is being referred to in the following

statements. “Check your answers against the Answer Key found at the end of this SAS.
Write your score on your paper.”

Plate Tectonics 1. The Earth’s outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the
mantle, the rocky inner layer above the core.
Water 2. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 96.5%
of all Earth’s water.
Magnetic Field 3. The Earth’s geomagnetic field extends from the Earth’s interior out into space,
where it interacts with the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emanating from the sun.
Atmosphere 4. The Earth’s _________ has 5 layers, namely: Troposphere, Stratosphere,
Mesosphere, Thermosphere and Exosphere.
Solar system Clean-up 5. The Earth revolves around the Sun, the center of the solar system in
which the Earth belongs to.

B. Below is a table of factors needed to make a planet habitable. Determine the consequences
if the characteristic of the factor is changed: not enough, just right, and too much. The first
box is done for you.
Factors that Not enough of the factor Just right Too much of the factor
make a planet
habitable
Low temperatures cause Life seems limited to a At about 125 °C, protein
Temperature chemicals to react slowly, temperature range of and carbohydrate
(influences how which interferes with the minus 15°C to 115°C. In molecules and genetic
quickly atoms reactions necessary for this range, liquid water can material (e.g., DNA and

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 COR 008: Earth Science
Module #5 Student’s Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

and molecules life. Also, low still exist under certain RNA) start to break apart.
move) temperatures freeze conditions. Also, high temperatures
water, making liquid water quickly evaporate water.
unavailable.
Water Water scarcity can When the water on Earth If the Earth experiences
(Dissolves and disrupt various natural is at an optimal and an excessive amount of
transports processes, ecosystem balanced level, it has water, usually in the
chemicals within health, and human well- significant positive form of flooding or
and to and from being. effects on the planet's prolonged heavy rains,
a cell) ecosystems, climate, and it can lead to a range of
overall habitability. negative consequences
for the environment and
the human population.
Atmosphere The main consequence The atmosphere contains This can result in higher
(Traps heat, of an inadequate the right proportions of average temperatures,
shields the environment is the lack oxygen, nitrogen, and more extreme weather
surface from of oxygen. other gases that support events, and disruption
harmful respiration for both of ecosystems and
radiation, and humans and many other habitats.
provides organisms.
chemicals
needed for life,
such as nitrogen
and carbon
dioxide.)
If available energy is The energy balance Excess energy input,
Energy reduced, it can lead to ensures that often referred to as
(Organisms use changes in temperature temperatures on Earth global warming or the
light or chemical gradients, atmospheric are within the range enhanced greenhouse
energy to run circulation patterns, and suitable for liquid water effect, can lead to rapid
their life weather systems. to exist. increases in global
processes.) temperatures.
Inadequate nutrient Balanced nutrient levels Nutrient pollution can
Nutrients levels can limit plant support the growth of a lead to rapid algae
(Used to build growth, affecting both variety of plants, growth in aquatic
and maintain an terrestrial plants and including aquatic plants ecosystems.
organism’s aquatic plants such as in lakes, rivers, and
body.) algae and aquatic oceans, as well as
plants. terrestrial plants in
forests, grasslands, and
wetlands.

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