EARTH SYSTEMS

MATTER Everything in the universe is made of matter Matter is anything that has mass and volume – anything that takes up space All matter is composed of elements

MATTER An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into a simpler substance Gold is an example of an element - Au Water is not. Water can be broken down into both hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O) – H2O

STATES OF MATTER All matter in the universe exists in one of 4 forms: Solid (slow moving particles, definite shape) Liquid (Particles move quicker, shape takes on that of the container the liquid is in) Gas (Fast moving particles, freely moving/flowing to fill container) Plasma (extremely hot, ionized gas – most abundant form of matter in universe)

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MATTER The Law of Conservation of Matter states that matter can neither be created or destroyed. Matter can change the state it’s in, however, it is still matter

CLOSED SYSTEM The earth is said to be a closed system This means that all the matter on earth stays on earth, it just may move about in different forms (solid, liquid, gas, plasma) This is true unless matter enters or exists earth through the atmosphere

MATTER All matter on earth cycles through four different systems Hydrosphere Geosphere/Lithosphere Atmosphere Biosphere At any given point in time, all matter that has ever existed on earth can be found in one of these four systems

HYDROSPHERE All water on earth whether in the atmosphere, oceans, ground makes up the hydrosphere Water cycles throughout this sphere via the water cycle

HYDROSPHERE Water exists in three states on earth Solid (ice – glaciers) Liquid (water – oceans, rivers, lakes) Gas (vapor – atmosphere) The majority of water on earth (~97% is found in the oceans)

GEOSPHERE Earth’s solid portion is know as the geosphere or lithosphere The earth’s geosphere is divided into three portions Crust Mantle core

GEOSPHERE – CRUST Earth’s uppermost layer is called the crust or lithosphere Continental Crust 0-40 km Less dense than oceanic crust Oceanic Crust 0-10 km Denser than continental crust

GEOSPHERE - MANTLE Beneath the earth’s crust is the mantle Area of molten rock – extremely hot (100oC – 4000oC) Makes up about 83% of earth’s volume

GEOSPHERE - CORE The earth’s core is divided into two layers – the inner core and the outer core Inner Core Believed to be solid iron Extremely hot and dense Outer Core Fluid Not as hot as inner core

ATMOSPHERE The blanket of gases that surrounds the earth is called the atmosphere The atmosphere extends approximately 700 km – exchange of matter may take place here

ATMOSPHERE The earth’s atmosphere is composed mainly of nitrogen – oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor occur in smaller amounts The atmosphere provides a protective barrier around earth, shielding us from space debris and keeping our temperature within a habitable range.

BIOSPHERE The biosphere includes all of earth’s living organisms Most of the organisms live within a few meters of earth’s surface Organisms in the biosphere depend on interactions with at least one other earth system

SYSTEM INTERACTIONS All four of earth’s systems exist interdependent on one another When one of the four systems change, it impacts the other systems

SYSTEM INTERACTIONS For example: earth’s early atmosphere was directly impacted by volcanic activity (geosphere). Volcanoes emitted gases that greatly shaped earth’s early atmosphere

SYSTEM INTERACTIONS ATMOSPHERE HYDROSPHERE BIOSPHERE GEOSPHERE Interaction among various air masses Surface currents driven by wind evaporation Gases for respiration Dispersal of seeds Weathering by wind Input of water vapor and stored solar heat Water Cycle Water for life Precipitation Weathering and Erosion Gases from respiration Removal of dissolved materials by organisms Global Ecosystems Food Cycles Weathering and erosion Soil formation Input of stored solar heat Landscapes affect air movement Source of solid and dissolved materials Source of mineral nutrients Modification of ecosystems Plate tectonics

EXAMPLES OF CHANGES Talk with the person next to you – come up with at least one example of how changing one earth system affects another earth system DDT, radon, greenhouse gases, deforestation, landfills

CITATIONS What's Inside the Earth?: An Introduction to the Earth's Interior, Crust, and Mineral Resources. Rainbow Educational Media. 1995. unitedstreaming. 27 July 2007 <http://www.unitedstreaming.com/> Wicander, Reed and Monroe, James S., Essentials of Geology: 4th Edition, Thompson Learning, Inc. 2006