Earth and Earth

Subsystem
Earth and Life Science Lesson 2
Use the following
terms to complete
the cycle:

i. condensation
ii. precipitation
iii. evaporation
iv. transpiration
v. infiltration
vi. surface run-off
 A system is a set of interconnected
components that are interacting to
form a unified whole. Earth is a
SYSTEM system which has components or
subsystems.
 EARTH
SUBSYSTEM LITHOSPHERE

BIOSPHERE

ATMOSPHERE

HYDROSPHERE
 The earth system as a whole is a closed system
The boundary of the earth system is the outer edge of the atmosphere. Virtually
no mass is exchanged between the Earth system and the rest of the universe
(except for an occasional meteorite). However, energy in the form of solar
radiation passes from the Sun, through the atmosphere to the surface. Earth in
turn emits radiation back out to space across the system boundary. Hence, energy
passes across Earth's system boundary, but not mass, making it a closed system.

Earth as
a Close
System
Atmosphere  The atmosphere is the thin gaseous layer that envelopes
the lithosphere.
 it is composed of 78% nitrogen (N), 21% oxygen (O2),
0.9% argon, and trace amount of other gases.
 The atmosphere shields humanity from most of the
harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation coming from the Sun,
warms the surface of our planet by about 33° C (59° F)
via the greenhouse effect, and largely prevents extreme
differences between daytime and nighttime
temperatures.
  The lithosphere includes the rocks of the crust and the
upper mantle.

Plate Tectonics Theory

lithosphere This theory states that the Earth’s solid outer crust, the
lithosphere, is separated into plates that move over the
asthenosphere, the molten upper portion of the mantle.
Oceanic and continental plates come together, spread
apart, and interact at boundaries all over the planet.
 Mantle Convection
Moving of the plates due to the rising and sinking of
molten rocks beneath the Earth.
Biosphere  The biosphere is the set of all life forms on Earth.
It covers all ecosystems—from the soil to the rainforest,
from 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.
 About 70% of the Earth is
covered with liquid water 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
Hydrosphere of ice, and the remaining one-
third is present in streams,
lakes, and groundwater.
Layers of the Earth
Earth and Life Science Lesson 2
LAYERS  CRUST

OF THE  MANTLE

EARTH  CORE

CRUST MANTLE CORE

  A crust is the outermost layer of a planet
The crust of the Earth is composed of a great
variety of igneous, metamorphic, and
sedimentary rocks.
There are two different types of crust;
Oceanic Crust
- thin oceanic crust that underlies the ocean basins
crust - mostly basaltic
- denser

Continental Crust
 thicker continental crust that underlies the
continents
 mostly granitic
 Less dense
  Earth's mantle is thought to be composed mainly of
olivine-rich rock.
 It has different temperatures at different depths. The
temperature is lowest immediately beneath the crust and
increases with depth. The highest temperatures occur
where the mantle material is in contact with the heat-
producing core.
mantle  Rocks in the upper mantle are cool and brittle, while
rocks in the lower mantle are hot and soft (but not
molten). Rocks in the upper mantle are brittle enough to
break under stress and produce earthquakes.
 Rocks in the lower mantle are soft and flows when
subjected to forces instead of breaking. The lower limit
of brittle behavior is the boundary between the upper and
lower mantle.
 Earth's Core is thought to be composed mainly of an iron
and nickel alloy. This composition is assumed based upon
calculations of its density and upon the fact that many
meteorites (which are thought to be portions of the
interior of a planetary body) are iron-nickel alloys.
The core is earth's source of internal heat because it
contains radioactive materials which release heat as they
core break down into more stable substances.
The core is divided into two different zones.
Outer core - is a liquid because the temperatures there
are adequate to melt the iron-nickel alloy.
Inner core - is a solid even though its temperature is
higher than the outer core. Here, tremendous pressure,
produced by the weight of the overlying rocks, is strong
enough to crowd the atoms tightly together and prevents
the liquid state.