Learning Objectives:

A.Describe the characteristics

of Earth that are necessary to
support life;
B.Describe Earth’s subsystems
across whose boundaries
matter and energy flow;
C.Identify common rock-forming
minerals using their physical
and chemical properties; and
D.Classify rocks into igneous,
sedimentary, and metamorphic.
“Earth, a world unlike any other.”
 EARTH’S
SUBSYSTEMS
S C I E N C E D E PA RT M E N T
 Planet Earth is divided into
different spheres that
interact with each other to
achieve a common goal,

to support life on the

planet.
• This relationship that connects the whole of Earth is
known as the Earth system.

• The parts of the system of Earth, as any other system

does, affect each other when a change happens to an
individual portion.
Four Major Spheres

Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Geosphere
Biosphere
These different spheres got their names
from Greek words that symbolize what they
are made of:

•hydro for water

•atmos for air
•geo for ground
•bio for life
Each sphere
accounts for a
different division
of Earth yet all of
the spheres are
connected,
supporting life on
earth.
HYDROSPHERE
 Made up of all the water found on
Earth --- on its surface, underground,
and in air.

 Includes all the rivers, lakes,

streams, oceans, groundwater, polar
ice caps, glaciers, water vapour,
clouds, and any form of precipitation
like rain and snow.
 majority of Earth’s water is found in the oceans,
accounting for more than 96% of the total
hydrosphere. The remaining 4% is shared by
glaciers, ice caps, and liquid freshwater.
Water plays a
very important
role as the main
body of all living
things.
ATMOSPHERE
Mixture of
gases that
surrounds the
planet.
According to NASA, the gases in Earth’s
atmosphere include:

• Nitrogen (78%)
• Oxygen (21%)
• Argon (0.93%)
• Carbon dioxide (0.04%)
• Trace amounts of neon, helium, methane,
krypton and hydrogen, as well as water vapor
Layers of the Atmosphere
• Troposphere
The troposphere starts at the Earth's surface and extends 8 to 14.5
kilometers high (5 to 9 miles). This part of the atmosphere is the
most dense. Almost all weather is in this region.

• Stratosphere
The stratosphere starts just above the troposphere and extends to 50
kilometers (31 miles) high. The ozone layer, which absorbs and
scatters the solar ultraviolet radiation, is in this layer.
Layers of the Atmosphere
• Mesosphere
The mesosphere starts just above the stratosphere and extends to 85
kilometers (53 miles) high. Meteors burn up in this layer.

• Thermosphere
The thermosphere starts just above the mesosphere and extends to
600 kilometers (372 miles) high. Aurora and satellites occur in this
layer.
Layers of the Atmosphere
• Ionosphere
The ionosphere is an abundant layer of electrons and ionized atoms
and molecules that stretches from about 48 kilometers (30 miles)
above the surface to the edge of space at about 965 km (600 mi),
overlapping into the mesosphere and thermosphere. This dynamic
region grows and shrinks based on solar conditions and divides
further into the sub-regions: D, E and F; based on what wavelength
of solar radiation is absorbed. The ionosphere is a critical link in the
chain of Sun-Earth interactions. This region is what makes radio
communications possible.
Layers of the Atmosphere

• Exosphere
This is the upper limit of our atmosphere. It extends from
the top of the thermosphere up to 10,000 km (6,200 mi).

Credit: NASA/Goddard
GEOSPHERE
• Refers to solid Earth.
• Composed of all the rocks, minerals,
and soil on Earth.
• Includes not only the mountains,
continents, ocean floor, sand in the
deserts, and bedrocks but it also
includes Earth’s interior layers.
Earth’s interior layers
• Earth is further subdivided based on how the materials
found on its geosphere react with and behave to different
factors and forces in the environment.
• LITHOSPHERE
- refers to the solid and rigid outer layer that includes the
crust and the uppermost part of the mantle.
• ASTHENOSPHERE
- below lithosphere which consists of the solid but mobile
part of the mantle that can flow depending on the heat deep
within Earth.
BIOSPHERE
• Made up of all the living organisms
on the planet.
• These living things are found on the
surface, underground, and even those
reaching a kilometre above the
surface of the Earth.
• It includes the plants, animals,
bacteria, and fungi that thrive on the
planet even in the most extreme
environments in the depths and
corners of Earth.