1. The Earth as a System Consists of: - Geosphere - Hydrosphere
The Earth is a system of 4 interacting components.
Consists of:
- Geosphere - Hydrosphere
- Atmosphere - Biosphere

2. The Geosphere Composition
The solid part of the Earth (rocks, minerals, soil, etc.)
Most of the geosphere is below the surface
Thickness
What is it?
Lithosphere
15-300km
Cool, rigid layer that includes the crust; divided into plates
Asthenosphere
250km
Plastic layer of the mantle that flows slowly, allowing plates above it to move
Outer Core
2200km
Liquid nickel and iron
Inner Core
1228km
Solid nickel and iron

3. The Geosphere Plate Tectonics
Look at the world map. Does anything look like it could fit together like a puzzle?
Pangaea – Wegener’s idea that all of Earth’s continents were joined into one giant landmass 200 million years ago.

4. The Geosphere Plate Tectonics
The tectonic plates ride atop the asthenosphere, moving in different directions
Boundary
Movement
Result
Convergent
2 plates move together
Mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes
Divergent
2 plates move apart
Ocean ridges (volcanic), rift valleys, earthquakes
Transform
2 plates slide past each other
Faults, earthquakes

5. The Geosphere Plate Tectonics
Global Earthquake Distribution
Global Volcano Distribution

6. Destruction, injuries, death
The Geosphere
Earthquakes
Volcanic Eruptions
How does it happen?
Earth’s crust slips along a fault (crack in the crust)
Local Effects
Destruction, injuries, death
Global Effects
Tsunamis
Which of these geologic hazards poses the greatest threat to the environment? Why?

7. The Geosphere Destruction, injuries, death Tsunamis Earthquakes
Volcanic Eruptions
How does it happen?
Earth’s crust slips along a fault (crack in the crust)
Pressure of magma inside the volcano becomes so great that it blows open the solid surface.
Local Effects
Destruction, injuries, death
Destruction, injuries, death, mudflows, improved soil fertility
Global Effects
Tsunamis
Ash clouds from major eruptions can block sunlight & change drop the average global temp.

8. The Geosphere Erosion
Rocks on the surface are changed by wind, running water, and weather.
Erosion is the removal and transport of weathered surface materials.
Over long periods of time, erosion can wear away entire mountains and produce spectacular landforms.

9. The Atmosphere The atmosphere is a mixture if gases surrounding Earth
Composition: Air Pressure:
air pressure as altitude

10. The Layers of the Atmosphere
Thermosphere – high temps but molecules spread out, ions
Mesosphere – coldest layer, disintegrates meteors
Stratosphere – ozone layer (absorbs UV rays)
Troposphere – densest layer, weather occurs here

11. Energy in the Atmosphere
Radiation – transfer of energy in waves (ex: sunlight)
Conduction – flow of heat from objects that are touching
Convection – hot fluids rise and cool fluids sink

12. Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse Effect - atmospheric gases (greenhouse gases) trap heat near the Earth.
Without the Greenhouse Effect the Earth would be too cold for life to exist!

13. The Hydrosphere
Includes all of the water on or near the Earth’s surface (oceans, lakes, rivers, polar icecaps, groundwater, & clouds)

14. The Water Cycle is the continuous movement of water into the air, onto the land, and then back to water sources.
- Evaporation – the change of state from a liquid to a gas (liquid water to water vapor)
Condensation – the change of state from a gas to a liquid (water vapor to liquid water)
Precipitation – any form of water that falls to Earth’s surface from clouds (rain, snow, etc.)
Runoff – excess water that flows off of the surface

15. The Hydrosphere The Water Cycle
Think-Pair- Share
How are all of Earth’s spheres (geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere) connected by the water cycle?

16. The Hydrosphere Earth’s Oceans
All of Earth’s oceans (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian,& Arctic Oceans) are connected.
Oceans cover over 70% of Earth’s surface.

17. The Hydrosphere Ocean Currents
Surface Currents
Caused by wind patterns
Influence climates of land areas they flow past
Ex: The Gulf Stream (warm surface current) makes the British Isles warmer than other areas at the same latitude)
Deep Currents
Caused when cold, dense polar water sinks below warmer, less dense water and flows toward the equator

18. Surface Ocean Currents
Common surface ocean currents show the flow of the sea
In 1993, thousands of rubber duckies washed up on Alaskan beaches. Oceanographers determined that a ship carrying the toys lost a container during a storm near Hawaii in The ducks were used to map ocean currents.

19. Oceans: The Global Temperature Regulator
The main function of the world ocean is to:
Absorb & store energy from the sun
How?
Water absorbs and releases heat slower than land does.
**Without the ocean, the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere would be too extreme for life

20. Fresh Water Only 3% of Earth’s water is fresh
Most freshwater is held in polar icecaps and glaciers
Less than 1% of all Earth’s water is groundwater
Rain and melted snow sinks into the ground forming groundwater. A rock layer called an Aquifer stores and allows the flow of groundwater.
Groundwater gives people drinking water and supplies water for many agricultural & industrial needs

21. The biosphere is the narrow layer of Earth where life can exist.
Life on Earth requires:
Liquid water
Temperatures between 10°C and 40°C
Source of energy
a. Plants & algae use sunlight to make food
b. Most other organisms get energy from what they eat
Earth is a closed system – energy is transferred among living things through the food chain.