1. Energy in the Earth System
Section 2:2

2. Objectives Compare an open system with a closed system.
List the characteristics of the earth’s four major spheres.
Identify the two main sources of energy in the Earth system.
Identify the 4 main processes in which matter and energy cycle on Earth.

3. Earth-System Science
A system is an organized group of related objects or components (parts) that interact to create a whole order.
Synonyms (words with the same meaning)
Scheme network complex
Organism economy universe

4. Systems are linked Energy Matter The ability to do work
Heat, light, vibrations, waves
Matter
Anything that takes up space and has mass
Protons, neutrons
Atoms & Molecules
Living Organisms, rocks even Planets

5. Systems Open Closed Energy but NOT matter is exchanged
Energy and Matter are exchanged with the surroundings
Closed
Energy but NOT matter is exchanged

6. Systems are described by how matter and energy are transferred within them or to and from other systems

7. Energy and matter are exchanged
Open Systems
Example:
Lake
Water molecules
Streams, rainfall, evaporation, heat, wind, waves, absorption
Energy and matter are exchanged

8. Closed Systems A closed system is a system in which energy, but not matter is exchanged with the surroundings.

9. Matter on Earth
Occurs as either a;
Solid
Liquid
Gas

10. Earth, Open or Closed System?
WHY?

11. Earth is an open System Almost Closed
Matter leaves when we send satellites, probes or astronauts into space
Matter enters as dust and rock from space

12. Earth is made of 4 Spheres
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Biosphere

13. Atmosphere: a mixture of gases that surround a planet or moon.
Jupiter
Venus
Mars
Earth:
78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
1% all others

14. Hydrosphere: All of the earth water except the water that is in gaseous form in the atmosphere
Approximately 70.8 percent (97% of it being sea water and 3% fresh water[1]) of the Earth is covered by water and only 29.2 percent is landmass.

15. Geosphere: This sphere includes all of the rock and soil on the surface of continents and on the ocean floor

16. Biosphere : The part of the Earth where life exists; including all the living organisms on earth

17. Earths Energy Budget is predictable
1st Law of Thermodynamics
Energy is transferred between systems but cannot be created or destroyed.
2nd Law of
Thermodynamics
When energy transfer takes place, matter becomes less organized
with time.

18. Internal Sources of Energy Convection & Radioactive Decay

19. Convection: heat transfer through circulation

20. Radioactive Decay: The random break down of an atom’s nucleus over time.

21. External Energy Sources
Solar radiation most important. Generates movement of air and water masses, and provides energy to fuel plant growth, the base of the biosphere.
Gravitational pull of sun and moon drive tides and currents.

22. Cycles in the Earth System
Reservoir: a place where matter or energy is stored.
Cycle: a group of processes in which matter and energy move through a series of reservoirs.
Time frames vary on storage.

23. Nitrogen Cycle

24. Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is one of Earth's most important nutrient cycles.
78% of Earth's atmosphere is made up of nitrogen in its gas phase.

25. Nitrogen Needed For
Plants and animals to make amino acids, proteins and DNA, but the nitrogen in the atmosphere is not in a form that they can use.

26. Nitrogen Must Be Altered
Nitrogen becomes fixed in two ways.
The first is through bacteria (nitrogen-fixers) in the soil that form nitrates out of nitrogen in the air. They live in the soil and on the roots of certain plants.

27. 2nd Way - Lightning
Nitrogen is united with water to produce an acid that falls to Earth in rainfall and deposits nitrates in the soil.

28. Nitrogen Cycle
Plants take up the nitrates and convert them to proteins that then travel up the food chain through herbivores and carnivores.
When organisms excrete waste, the nitrogen is released back into the environment.
When they die and decompose, the nitrogen is broken down and converted to ammonia.

29. Denitrification
Nitrates and ammonia are converted back to gaseous nitrogen and returned to the atmosphere, continuing the cycle.

30. The Carbon Cycle

31. Carbon Carbon is an element essential to life.

32. The Carbon Cycle
Carbon (C) provides the foundation for the organic molecules of all living things.

33. In The Carbon Cycle
Carbon interacts with all 4 of the Earth’s major spheres.

34. Short-term cycle
Carbon dioxide (CO2)is converted by plants into carbohydrates. Animals eat the plants, break down the carbos and release some of the carbon back as CO2. Carbon also released by organic wastes and the decay of organisms.

35. Long-term Cycle
Stored in the geosphere in buried remains and in a type of rock called carbonates, which forms directly from ocean water or by making up the shells and bones of organisms.

36. The Phosphorus Cycle

37. Phosphorus
An essential nutrient, part of molecules that organisms use to build cells.

38. In the Phosphorus Cycle
It moves through every sphere except the atmosphere.
Enters soil and water when phosphate rocks break down.
Plants absorb it into their tissues and animals get it from the plants and each other.

39. The Phosphorus Cycle Lets see some phosphorus released!!!
Phosphorus cycles through plants and animals much faster than it does through rocks and sediments.
When animals and plants die, phosphates will return to the soils or oceans again during decay.
Lets see some phosphorus released!!!

40. The Water Cycle

41. The Water Cycle
The movement of water, in one form or another, is always taking place.

42. Earth’s Water
Is always changing states, from liquid to vapor to solid and back again.

43. Evaporation
The sun drives the water cycle. Liquid water absorbs energy and is turned into vapor.

44. Transpiration The release of moisture from plants.

45. Condensation Water vapor loses energy and forms water droplets
(clouds).

46.
Precipitation
Water returning to Earth’s surface (rain, dew, snow, etc.).

47. Humans and the Earth System
All natural cycles can be altered by human activities.
Carbon: Use of fossil fuels.
Nitrogen and phosphorous: Fertilizers
Water: Obvious!!!!

48. Assignments Today: Key Terms, Graphing Skills, due BOP tomorrow.
Tomorrow: Directed Reading due EOP.