1. Lithosphere, Biosphere Hydrosphere,
The Earth System:
Lithosphere, Biosphere Hydrosphere,
and Atmosphere

2. This Island Earth
About 4.5 billion years old
As far as life is concerned:
“Goldilocks of the Solar System” (relative to Sun, not too far, not too close, just right !)

3. 1.Lithosphere 2.Atmosphere 3.Hydrosphere 4.Biosphere
Earth’s Four Spheres
1.Lithosphere
2.Atmosphere
3.Hydrosphere
4.Biosphere

4. The Earth’s Four Spheres

5. Lithosphere
Lithosphere: comprises the solid Earth and includes both Earth’s surface and the various layers of the Earth's interior.
94 % percent of the earth is composed of the elements oxygen, iron, silicon, and magnesium

6. Earth’s Layers: Composition and Mechanical Characteristics

7. ATMOSPHERE
This is the gaseous envelope that surrounds the Earth and is the transition between its surface and the vacuum of space
consists of a mixture of gases composed primarily of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour

8. Atmospheric structure
exosphere
Satellites and space shuttle orbit in the upper themosphere
Auroras in lower troposphere
Many meteors burn up here
Majority of atmospheric mass here

9. HYDROSPHERE
This includes all water on Earth (including surface water and groundwater)
Liquid water on Earth makes it distinct from other bodies in the solar system

10. Subcomponents of hydrosphere are connected via the hydrologic cycle

11. BIOSPHERE
This includes all living organisms, and all organic matter that has not yet decomposed.
Plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, fungi, everything that is or was alive.

12. BIOSPHERE Life began at least 3.5billion years ago and
The biosphere makes our planet different from all others (as far as we know)
It is structured into a system known as the food chain whereby all life is dependent upon the plants that are capable of photosynthesis.
Food chain is more realistically viewed as a web

13. Food Web
Note that interactions within even a single ecosystem are very complex !