Lesson 1.

Earth Systems
 Vocabulary

biosphere cryosphere
atmosphere geosphere
hydrosphere mineral
groundwater rock
 Essential Questions

1 What are Earth systems?

2 What is the composition and structure of the

atmosphere?

3 How is water distributed in the hydrosphere?

4 What is the composition and structure of the

geosphere?
Explore Activity

Pieces of Earth
• When you look out the window, you might see wispy
white clouds, birds in the trees, and rolling hills in the
distance.
• All these things are parts of planet Earth.
• What else makes up Earth?
• With your partner, brainstorm a list of words you could
use to describe the different parts of Earth.
• Be creative! Use the space below to group the words
that you think relate to each other.
 What is Earth?
Earth is a complex place. People often divide complex
things into smaller parts in order to study them.
Scientists divide Earth into systems to help better
understand the planet. The systems contain different
materials and work in different ways, but they all
interact. What happens in one system affects the
others.

Jon Floyd/EyeEm/Getty Images

 The Atmosphere
The force of Earth’s gravity pulls molecules of gases
into a layer surrounding the planet. This mixture of
gases forms a layer around Earth called the
atmosphere.
 Importance of Earth’s Atmosphere
Earth’s atmosphere also helps protect the surface from
being struck by asteroids. Most asteroids that fall
toward Earth burn up before reaching Earth’s surface.
Friction with the atmosphere causes them to burn.
Only the very largest asteroids strike Earth.
 The Hydrosphere
Water is one of the most common and important
substances on Earth. The system containing all
Earth’s water is called the hydrosphere.
 The Cryosphere
The frozen portion of water on Earth’s surface is
called the cryosphere. About 79 percent of the
planet’s freshwater is in the cryosphere. The
cryosphere includes ice caps, glaciers, icebergs, and
areas of snow or permafrost. Water can be stored as
ice for thousands of years before melting and
becoming liquid water in other reservoirs.
 Groundwater

BrainPOP

1. Where can you find groundwater?

A in the Earth's core
B on the Earth's surface
C below the Earth's surface CORRECT Roll over image to show video controls.

Next Question
 Groundwater

BrainPOP

2. What does groundwater move through?

A a system of connected pores CORRECT

B canals
C tree roots

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 Groundwater

BrainPOP

3. What are porous rocks called?

A permeable rocks CORRECT

B impermeable rocks
C impish rocks

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 Groundwater

BrainPOP

4. What are rocks without pores called?

A pious
B permeable
C impermeable CORRECT

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 Groundwater

BrainPOP

5. What is the zone of saturation?

A the water-filled layer below the Earth's surface CORRECT

B a place where no water is stored

C an area that water cannot flow through

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 Groundwater

BrainPOP

6. What is a geyser?
A a hot spring that erupts shooting hot water into the air CORRECT
B a cold spring that creates a fountain
C a special type of fire hose

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 Groundwater

BrainPOP

7. Which of these materials is permeable?

A metal
B sandstone CORRECT

C diamond

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 Groundwater

BrainPOP

8. Which of these materials is impermeable?

A clay CORRECT

B pumice
C sandstone

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 Groundwater

BrainPOP

9. What is the water table?

A the bottom of the zone of saturation
B the middle of the zone of saturation
C the top of the zone of saturation CORRECT

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 Groundwater

BrainPOP

10. What makes a hot spring hot?

A water is heated by hot rocks below the Earth's surface CORRECT

B the sun heats the water and makes it hot

C fire below the Earth's surface heats it

Next Question
 Humidity

BrainPOP

1. What is weather?
A a measure of how clean the air is
B the present state of the atmosphere
CORRECT
C tidal patterns Roll over image to show video controls.

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 Humidity

BrainPOP

2. What causes water to evaporate into the atmosphere?

A heat from the moon
B cold winds over the ocean
C heat from the sun CORRECT

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 Humidity

BrainPOP

3. How does the air hold water?

A water molecules fit into spaces between air molecules CORRECT

B water is filtered into an invisible tube

C the ozone layer holds our water

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 Humidity

BrainPOP

4. What is humidity?
A the amount of rain that falls on Earth each year
B the amount of water vapor in the air CORRECT

C a measure of how hot or cold the air is

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 Humidity

BrainPOP

5. Which of these has the greatest impact on humidity?

A clouds
B wind
C temperature CORRECT

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 Humidity

BrainPOP

6. Which of these air temperatures can hold the most water?

A warm air CORRECT

B cool air
C freezing cold air

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 Humidity

BrainPOP

7. When are air molecules moving their slowest?

A at colder temperatures CORRECT

B at warmer temperatures
C when it's dark outside

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 Humidity

BrainPOP

8. What do you call it when water vapor molecules join together?

A compilation
B condensation CORRECT

C concentration

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 Humidity

BrainPOP

9. What is the dew point?

CORRECT
A the temperature at which the air is fully saturated with water vapor
B the temperature at which plants conduct photosynthesis
C the moment right after rain falls

Next Question
 Humidity

BrainPOP

10. What does it mean if the relative humidity is 100 percent?

A there is no water vapor in the air
B the air is partly full of water vapor
C the air is totally full of water vapor CORRECT

Next Question
 The Geosphere
The last nonliving Earth system is the geosphere. The
geosphere is the solid part of Earth. It includes a thin
layer of soil and broken rock
material along with the
underlying layers of rock.
 Rocks
Rocks Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. A rock
is a naturally occurring solid composed of minerals,
smaller rock fragments, organic matter, or glass. There
are three major rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic.

(t & c)Siim Sepp/Alamy,

(b)sonsam/iStock/Getty Images
Mini-Assessment
1. Earth's ozone layer absorbs solar radiation, protecting
the biosphere. Which atmospheric layer includes the
ozone layer?

A Layer A

B Layer B CORRECT

C Layer C

D Layer D
Mini-Assessment
2. The Earth system that contains the frozen portion of
water on Earth is called the

A geosphere. C cryosphere.
CORRECT

B hydrosphere. D atmosphere.
Mini-Assessment
3. Which Earth system contains living things?

A atmosphere C geosphere

B biosphere D cryosphere
CORRECT
Mini-Assessment
4. Which reservoir holds the largest amount of
freshwater?

A ice C lakes

B groundwater D rivers
CORRECT