Review

Session
Earth Science Concepts
What makes
Earth
habitable?
1.D is ta nc e fr om th e sun

2.M a g ne ti c fi eld f rom t he cor e

3.Wa te r

4.Oxyg e n

5.At m os phe re
 What are the 4 subsystem
of the Earth?
1. Geosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Atmosphere
4. Biosphere

Note: if there will be a removal or disturbance to one or more of these spheres of

the Earth there will be a problem in earth’s physical and chemical properties that is
necessary in supporting life
Interactions of the subsystems

EXAMPLE INTERACTIONS GEOSPHERE  HYDROSPHERE  ATMOSPHERE 

OF THE SUBSYSTEMS ATMOSPHERE = BIOSPHERE = SUPPLY HYDROSPHERE = WATER
ARE: EMISSION OF VOLCANIC OF FRESH WATER / CYCLE
ASH FROM ERUPTION HYDRATION
THUS INCREASING THE
GASES IN THE
ATMOSPHERE
 Characteristics
includes
• Natural
• Inorganic
• Crystalline
Minerals • Definite chemical
composition
• Solid
 Physical properties includes:
• Color – not reliable in identifying a mineral
• Streak – a powdery remnant after being
scratched (only for minerals with hardness of 1-
6)
• Hardness - measure of resistance of mineral to
scratching or abrasion
• Cleavage – arrangement of atoms based on
Minerals planes
• Luster – shine
• Fracture – ragged/rough edges
Minerals
Special proper ties includes:

 Double refraction – light phenomena causes

images to double when seen on transparent
minerals

 Fluorescence – minerals shows a unique glow

when exposed to UV lights

 Phosphorescence - mineral continues to glow

even af ter the UV light source has been
removed.

 Piezoelectricity – electricity (energy) from

pressure example: quar tz movement

 Magnetism – attraction to magnets (Metallic

minerals)
 Uses of minerals

Limestone - used for concrete

materials, building stone and cement
industry
Copper – used for electrical wirings /
cables
Gold and silver - Ornaments, medical,
electronics, jewellery
Graphite – pencils
Aluminum – cooking utensils
Iron – blood, metallic coating
 Rocks

- Naturally occurring substances

made from minerals or
mineraloids
- Classifi ed as Igneous,
Sedimentary, and Metamorphic
 Igneous Rocks
- They are rocks that are formed from the
solidifi cation of molten rock material
(magma /lava).
- 2 types (based on process of formation)
-  intrusive – formed inside of the Earth’s crust
(Plutonism)
- example: Granite
-  extrusive – formed outside of the Earth’s crust
(Volcanism)
- example: Pumice
 Sedimentary Rocks
- They are rocks that are formed from different
process like weathering, erosion, deposition,
compaction and cementation
- There are 3 types of sedimentary rocks

-  Clastic sedimentary rocks - Clastic

sedimentary rocks were formed from mechanical
weathering debris (example – conglomerate)
-  Chemical sedimentary rocks - were formed
when dissolved materials precipitate from
solution (example – Limestone)
-  Organic – were formed when organic matter
mixes in with the formation of
sediments/fragments (example – Shale)
Metamorphic Rocks
- Are formed due to the introducti on of heat,
pressure and hydrothermal soluti on from
preexisti ng rocks (protoliths)
- Classifi ed as:

- Foliated/Banded - Gneiss

- Non-Foliated - Quartzite

- Process of formati on includes

- Recrystallizati on

- Neocrystallizati on

- Metasomati sm
Mineral Resources -
Mining
Mining – Process of extracting minerals on the
Ear th’s crust

2 types

- Surface mining – removal the top layer to

expose minerals

example: open pit mining (quarr ying) – a

process of removing rock, sand, gravel, or other
minerals from the ground to use them to
produce materials for construction or other uses

- Mountain top removal - machiner y

removes the peak of the mountains to expose
coal.
 Processes involved
Mining  Separation of ore from waste
material  Melting metals  Conversion to
product
Mineral
Advantage of Mining
Resources - • Provides raw materials, minerals, and metals
Mining critical to our economy
Disadvantages of Mining
• Contribute to the destruction of land
formations
• Promotes health and occupational hazards
• Produces water pollution
 Energy Resources

Co nven tio n al / N on -Re newable E ner gy S o urc e s

E xa m ple : Fo ss il f ue ls

Fo ss il f ue ls c an be :

• S o lid – co a ls

• L iqu id – pe tro le um

• Ga s – N at ural ga s

T h ey a re bur ne d to pro duc e ene rgy but in tu rn pro du ces gr een ho u se gas es as by-
p ro du c t

* Gre e nh o u se g a se s d e stro y s the o zo n e la ye r a n d co n tri bu te to th e i n cr ea se o n the

s u rfa ce temp e ra ture o f Ea rth w hi c h l e a ds to g lo b a l w a r mi n g.
 Energy Resources

Non-Conventional /Ren ewable En ergy Sou rces

co nside red as o ne o f th e re new able “green energy ”

- * It is env ironmen t- frien dly an d produces less or v ir tu ally n o carbon gases th at

may destroy the atmosph ere.

Examples:

Geothermal - type of en ergy is tapped from th e heat in side of th e Ear th’s cru st, th en
conver ted into electricity f or h ousehold u se

S olar – energy f rom th e su n

Hydroelectric - mechan ical en ergy f rom the fl ow of water is conver ted in to electrical
energy
 Water Resources

97% - saltwater (saline)

2% - ice /glaciers (solid form of water found on the polar regions)

1% - freshwater ( type of water resource that contains little to zero salt )

Freshwater sources can be:

 Sur face water – rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, wetlands

 Underground water

 Atmospheric water – clouds

 Quality of water can be aff ected by:
*Pollution - Improper disposal of
Water
waste and its by-products on rivers
Resources
and seas
*Eutrophication – over deposition of
nutrients on water
*Salinization – mixing of saltwater
 Soil Resources
Soil - A dynamic natural body, in which plants
grow, that is composed of mineral and
organic materials and living organisms.

Composition:
• Minerals

• Organic Materials

• Water and Air

• Organisms
Soil Resources

C haracterization

Texture – particle size

clay – smallest

sand – largest

silt

Loam: combination of the 3 soil texture

that is suitable for plant growth

pH – Acidic or alkaline

Color
Soil Resources
Factors that aff ect the quality and fer tility of
the soil

1. Erosion – biggest threat in soil quality

Water erosion
– 2 types: (1) Sheet erosion (2) Rill erosion

Wind Erosion

* Farming can facilitate soil erosion by

tilling the topsoil

* Hiking by compressing and kicking the

upper layer of the soil

* Mining – by removing layers of soil

2. Soil Degradation – caused by overgrazing

and depletion
Soil Resources

Ways to conserve soil quality and restore fertility

1. Contour framing or terracing – prevents landslides or

mass wasting

2. Shelter belts / windbreaks – planting of trees to prevent

wind from eroding the surface of agricultural soil

3. Use of fertilizers

4. Crop rotation to improve soil fertility and structure

5. Revegetation / tree planting - roots of the trees fi rmly

hold on the soil making it stagnant and prevents soil
erosion.
Waste disposal and management
• Was t es - sub stances or ob ject s which are d is pos e d of or are intended
to be disp osed of or are req ui re d to be d is pos ed of by the provisions
of the law

• Negative impact of improper waste disposal and management

1. Excess use of fertilizers and pest icid es can cau se land and water pollution.

2. Rice paddies release methan e to the atmosphe re.

3. Excess excrement from poultr y and other livestock can cause

eutrophication of bodies of water.

4. Clogg ing of wat erways /dr ainage system (canals, r ivers, and streams)
which can cause flooding.

5. Unsa nitary conditions leading to the spr ead of disease and pests that carr y
disease.

6. Bur ning o f wast e can release toxic gases ( formaldehyd e, hydr ogen
chloride, sulfur dioxide, dioxins, and furans).
 1. Waste or garbage serves as breeding ground for
insects and animals that causes diseases.

2. Waste materials are harmless once they are disposed

properly.

3. Waste materials can cause pollution.

Waste disposal
and management • Some ways to manage waste disposal and effects

 Practicing the 3Rs: Reuse, Reduce and Recycle

 Use of landfills

 Proper segregation of waste

 Donate old materials or objects