Geosphere, Biosphere, Atmosphere and Hydrosphere

EARTHS SYSTEMS

Dynamic Earth• The earth consists of rock, air, water and living things that interact with each other• These are all divided into the different parts• Geosphere• Atmosphere• Hydrosphere• Biosphere

The Geosphere• The solid part of the Earth that consists of all rock and the soils and sediments on the surface.• Most of the geosphere is located in the Earth’s interior• Studying below the crust is very difficult• Deepest drill was 7 miles deep

crust

Outer core

Inner core

mantle

The Crust• This is where we live

• This outermost layer

• The crust is made up of continents and ocean• Continental is 20 – 30 mi thick• Oceanic is 3 – 6 mi thick

The Mantle• The layer found right under the crust• 1800 miles thick• 500° - 4000° C

• Made of rocks and it is not as light as the crust but not as dense as the core

• Has a “liquid” layer that makes up the lava that erupts out of volcanoes

The Core• Solid innermost layer• Outer is liquid, 4000° C• Inner is solid, 5500°C

• Made of Iron and NIckel

The Lithosphere• Consists of the crust and upper part of the mantle

• The lithosphere is divided into huge pieces called...• Tectonic plates

The Asthenosphere• This is below the lithosphere

• Consists of the “plastic” part of the mantle• Rock flows smoothly like melted plastic • Allows plates to move

Plate Tectonics

Plate Movement• Plates pull apart, squeeze together or slip past each other

• Major geological activity caused can be• Volcano• Earthquake - faults• Mountains• Ocean ridges

Volcanoes• Mountain build from magma • Volcanoes are usually found at plate boundaries• Can occur on land or in the ocean

Global Effects of geological events• Dust and chemicals from volcanoes enters atmosphere

• Chemicals become part of runoff

• Global temperature decrease

• Erosion – wearing down of rocks• Water• Wind

The Atmosphere• Consists of a mixture of gases that surround earth• Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases• Gases are constantly added and removed from the

atmosphere• Insulates the Earth’s surface

Composition of the Atmosphere• Nitrogen – 78%• Oxygen – 21%• Argon, carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor – 1%

Layers of the Atmosphere• The troposphere – closest to Earth’s surface

•Weather occurs here

• Temperature decreases as you move further into the troposphere

Stratosphere• Above the troposphere

• Temperature increases as you go further into the stratosphere• This happens because the ozone absorbs the sun’s UV light

and warms the air

• Ozone (O3) is a molecule made of 3 oxygen atoms

• Ozone layer limits the amount of UV light that reaches Earth

The Greenhouse Effect• Sunlight heats the surface of the Earth• The surface radiates the heat back to the atmosphere, where some heat escapes into space• The rest of the heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases which heats the air• Heat then radiates back to the Earth• Gasses trap the heat near Earth – greenhouse effect

The Hydrosphere• Includes all water on or near the Earths surface

The Biosphere• The narrow layer around Earth’s surface in which life can exist• Consists of the uppermost part of the geosphere, most of the hydrosphere and the lower part of the atmosphere