1. Chapter 3 Environmental Science
The Dynamic Earth
Chapter 3
Environmental Science

2. Earth Integrated system Rock Air Water Living things Geosphere
Atmosphere
Water
Hydrosphere
Living things
Biosphere

3. Geosphere
The solid part of the Earth including all rock, soils, sediments on the surface
Scientists use seismic waves to study the geosphere.
Like tapping a melon

4. Composition of the Geosphere
Crust
Thin layer – less than 1% of Earth
Oceans
Continents
Mantle
Made of rock
64% of the Earth
Core
Hot, dense rocks of nickel and iron
35% of the Earth

5. Structure of the Geosphere
Five layers based on physical properties
Lithosphere
Includes crust and upper part of mantle
Asthenosphere
Rocks in the mantle that allow continents to move above it
Mesosphere
Lower layer of the mantle
Outer core
Dense, liquid layer
Inner core
Solid rock layer

6. Tectonic Plates Pieces of the lithosphere that continents sit on
Glide on asthenosphere like ice on a pond
Figure 4 on page 62
Plate boundaries are where activity occurs & mountain ridges form

7. Earthquakes Occur at a fault Richter Scale
A break in the Earth’s crust where they slide against each other.
Richter Scale
Measures magnitude (0-10)
The amount of energy released by an earthquake

8. Volcanoes
A mountain built from magma that rises to the Earth’s surface
The hot ash, dust and gases can pollute the environment
A volcanic eruption can change the Earth’s climate for several years.
Volcanic ash can mix with water
Mudflow

9. Section 1 Assignment
Page 66
Section 1 Review #1-5

10. Atmosphere Mixture of gases surrounding the Earth
Gases are constantly being added and removed
Example – Animals release carbon dioxide and take in oxygen, plants release oxygen and take in carbon dioxide

11. Composition of the Atmosphere
Nitrogen
78 % of the atmosphere
Oxygen
21 % of the atmosphere
Other Gases
1% of the atmosphere
Includes argon, carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor
Atmospheric dust
Particles in the air made mainly of soil
Also includes salt, ash, pollen, bacteria, aerosols

12. Layers of the Atmosphere
Troposphere
Closest layer to the Earth’s surface
Almost all weather occurs here
Stratosphere
Almost all ozone (made of 3 oxygen atoms) is located here
Ozone absorbs UV radiation

13. Layers of the Atmosphere
Mesosphere
Coldest layer
Thermosphere
Layer located furthest from Earth’s surface
Temperatures above 2000°C
Nitrogen and oxygen ions absorb X-rays and gamma rays

14. Energy in the Atmosphere
Energy transferred from the sun in three ways
Radiation
Transfer of energy from space to atmosphere
Conduction
Flow of heat from warmer object to colder object
Convection
Transfer of heat through air currents

15. Heating the Atmosphere
About half the energy from the sun reaches the Earth’s surface.
The rest is absorbed by clouds, dust or gases.
Dark-colored objects absorb more energy than light-colored objects.

16. Quick Lab Page 70 Answer the following questions:
By what mechanism is energy being transferred to the beakers? Explain your answer.
Make a line graph with the results of the experiment.
Page 72 – Section 2 Review # Answer with a paragraph

17. Greenhouse Effect
Sunlight enters the atmosphere and heats the Earth’s surface
The heat is radiated back into the atmosphere
Heat is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere
Heat is then radiated back towards the Earth’s surface.
** Earth would be too cold to survive without the greenhouse effect.

18. Greenhouse Gases Gases that trap and radiate heat Water Vapor
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide

19. Quiz
Information from Section 1 & 2

20. Hydrosphere Any water on or near the Earth’s surface Water cycle
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Oceans
Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic

21. Ocean Water
Salinity
Concentration of all the salts in ocean water
Salinity varies depending on evaporation and precipitation
Surface water is warm, deeper is cold due to no sunlight
Oceans absorb heat from the sun which helps to regulate the temperature in the atmosphere.

22. Layers of the Ocean The layers are called temperature zones.
Surface Zone
Warm water (heated from the sunlight)
Thermocline
Temperature falls rapidly with depth
Cold water begins in this layer
Deep Zone
Bottom of the ocean
Temp around 2°C

23. Ocean Currents Surface currents Deep currents
Streamlike movements at the surface
Created by the wind
Deep currents
Streamlike movements near the ocean floor
Flows very slowly towards the equator

24. Fresh Water Only about 3% of all water River system Groundwater
Main river
Tributaries
Land that drains into the river
Groundwater
Collects underground
Used for human and agricultural needs
Aquifers
Rock layers underground that stores water

25. Biosphere Narrow layer on Earth’s surface that supports life
Life on Earth exists due to two factors
Water is continually recycled
Sunlight is readily available
Includes the following:
Upper part of geosphere
Most of the hydrosphere
Lower part of atmosphere

26. Energy Flow Closed system Open system Energy enters as sunlight
Matter does not enter
Plants use the sunlight to make their own food
Earth is considered mainly a closed system
Open system
Both energy and matter enter
Early years of the Earth when matter was added through collisions of comets and meteorites with our planet

27. Section 3 Review
Page 81
# 1-6

28. Chapter Review
Page 83-85
#6-19, 21, 24-25, 27, 32-33, 34