Environment

The word Environment is derived from the French word “Environ” which
means “surrounding”.
Our surrounding includes:
biotic factors like human beings, Plants, animals, microbes, etc
abiotic factors such as light, air, water, soil, etc.

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary(relating to more than one

branch of knowledge) science in which we study the interactions between
the physical, chemical, and biological components that make up
ecosystems. The purpose of environmental science is to understand
natural phenomenon and ecosystems, and how humans interact and
impact the environment.

Components of Environment

The environment consists of following components

1. Atmosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Lithosphere
4. Biosphere

Hydrosphere

i. The hydrosphere includes all water bodies, mainly oceans covering

approximately 70.8% of the surface of the earth.
ii. It consists of water resources oceans, streams, lakes, polar ice caps,
glaciers and ground water reservoirs ( water below earth surface).
iii. Oceans contain 97% of earths water.
iv. Polar ice caps and glaciers consists of 2% of total water.
v. Only 1% water resources are available as fresh water (river, lake,
stream, ground water, surface water).
vi. The fresh water is used by agriculture (69%), industry (23%) and for
domestic purposes (8%).

Lithosphere

I. Earth’s crust –soil and rock

II. Soil-Made up of inorganic, organic matter and water
III. Inorganic matter- compounds or mixtures of Si, Ca, K, Al, Fe, Mn,
Ti, O etc.
IV. Organic constituents-polysaccharides, organic compounds of N, P and
S, sugar and humic materials

Biosphere/ Ecosphere

i. Biosphere is the region of earth capable of supporting life.

ii. It includes lower atmosphere, oceans, rivers, lakes, soils and soil
sediments that actively interchange materials with all types of living
organisms i.e., human being, animals and plants.
iii. Ecosystem is a smaller unit of the biosphere, which consists of
community of organisms and their interaction with environment i-e
animals, plants and microorganisms which lie in a definite zone and
depend on the physical factors such as soil, water and air.

Atmosphere

I. The layer of gases surrounding the earth is called atmosphere.

Atmosphere is the thin layer of gases that cover earth surface.
II. Its thickness is about 1000 km above the surface of the earth.
III. It consists of nitrogen (78%) ,oxygen (21%), Ar (0.9%), CO2 (0.03%)
and trace elements of hydrogen, ozone, helium, CO, Ne, Kr, Xe, and
methane. These gases are essential for sustaining life on earth.
IV. The atmosphere has a vital protective function. These gases absorb
most of the cosmic rays and other harmful electromagnetic radiations
coming from the sun which protect life on the earth.
V. Atmosphere also maintains the heat balance of the earth.
VI. The atmosphere is the source of carbon dioxide for plant
photosynthesis and of oxygen for respiration.
VII. Unfortunately, the atmosphere is a dumping ground for many
pollutant materials.