EARTH SCIENCE -STEM 11

EARTH AND EARTH

SUBSYSTEM

Module 2
 LESSON
OBJECTIVES:

1. Identify the four 2. Infer connections 3. Predict some ways that 4. Explain how matter
major components of among elements of each changes in one element
and energy transfer
the Earth system and major component by of the study site might
happens in the system
give examples from describing connections at affect changes in other
their local study site their local study site; and elements.
DYNAMIC SYSTEM
OF THE EARTH
Scientists increasingly view Earth as a
dynamic system – a combination of
interrelated, interdependent, or
interacting parts forming a collective
whole or entity. Earth system, in terms
of its four central components known as
the subsystems, are the: hydrosphere
(water), lithosphere (land), atmosphere
(air), and biosphere (living thing).
SUBSYSTEMS OF
THE EARTH
Earth’s Subsystems and the Flow of Matter
and Energy Earth is a complex system of
interrelating physical, chemical, and biological
processes. It is a system in which sets of
interconnected components are interacting to
form a unified whole. Earth is comprised of
four major smaller systems known as
subsystems. These are also called as spheres of
the Earth. These are the atmosphere,
geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
 ATMOSPHERE THE PARTS OF THE ATMOSPHERE
ARE OUTLINED BELOW.

- (“atmos” means vapor).

This component is the blanket of

gas that surrounds Earth. This distributes
rain and traps some of the heat radiated by
Earth to help keep us warm. It also protects
us from harmful solar radiation through the
ozone layer and plays a role in driving ocean
currents that redistribute Earth’s heat.
Component layers are the troposphere,
stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere,
and exosphere.
ATMOSPHERE THE PARTS OF THE ATMOSPHERE ARE
OUTLINES BELOW.

1. Troposphere – This part of the atmosphere

starts at the Earth’s surface and extend 8 to
14.5 kilometers high. It is considered the
densest among the other parts of the
atmosphere. Almost all-weather types are in
this region.

2. Stratosphere – Above the troposphere is the

stratosphere. It extends up 50 kilometers high.
It is in this region where we can find the ozone
layer which absorbs and scatters the solar
ultraviolet radiation.

3. Mesosphere – This region is above the

stratosphere. It extends to 85 kilometers.
Meteor usually burn up in this region as they
approach our planet.
ATMOSPHERE THE PARTS OF THE ATMOSPHERE ARE
OUTLINES BELOW.

4. Thermosphere – it extends up to 600

kilometers above the mesosphere. It is
where aurora and satellites occur.

5. Ionosphere – the ionosphere is the

part of atmosphere where abundant
layers of electron, ionized atoms and
molecules occur. It extends from about
48 kilometers above the surface. This
region makes radio communication
possible.

6. Exosphere – this is the upper limit of

our atmosphere. It extends from the top
of the thermosphere up to 10,000 km
(6,200 mi).
 BIOSPHERE
- (“bio” means life)

It consists of all living things, plants and

animals, from microbes to humans. This is
intimately connected with and dependent on the
other spheres. Through processes such as
photosynthesis, respiration, decay, and human
activity such as burning forests or fossil fuels, the
biosphere continuously exchanges gases with the
atmosphere. Human activities can also cause
changes in land and water use. To the extent that
the biosphere modifies the other components of
the Earth system, it can also, modify Earth’s
climate.
 THE LITHOSPHERE
(“litho” means stone or rock)

Made up of plates and it includes all the solid

part of the Earth that covers approximately 10% of
earth’s surface and deeply affects every part of the
ecosystem. It extends up to the inner core of the
planet. Soil supports billions of plants, animals, and
microorganisms, it filters water, and it facilitates
the decomposition of wastes. This holds air, water,
heat, and nutrients and is the medium in which we
grow food and fiber. It is responsible for the
formation of many landforms through its endogenic
activities.
 UPPER MANTLE

The upper mantle extends from the crust to

a depth of about 670 kilometers below the Earth’s
surface. It is mostly solid and it is malleable
regions that contribute to tectonic activities. The
earth's crust and the brittle upper portion of the
mantle from the lithosphere. The latter makes up
the plates are explained by the plate tectonic
theory. It is the solid, outer part of the planet,
with a depth of 100 kilometers. Also, it is both the
coolest and the most rigid of the Earth’s layers. It
is composed of iron, oxygen, silicon, magnesium,
and aluminum.
LOWER MANTLE
The lower mantle extends from
660 kilometers to 660 up to 2700
kilometers below the Earth surface. Its
temperature is about 3,000 C which
makes it much hotter and denser than
the upper mantle. It is mostly solid
rocks and composed of the elements
iron, oxygen, magnesium and
aluminum.
 OUTER CORE
The outer core is the second largest layer
and second to the last layer of our planet. It is
about 2,200 kilometers thick and is composed
entirely of super-heated liquid molten lava of
liquid iron and nickel. Ni Fe alloy of the outer core
is extremely hot and its temperature range
between 4, 500 to 5, 500 Celsius. The liquid metal
of the outer core has very low viscosity, which
makes it easily deformed and malleable. In
addition, the churning metal action of the outer
core as its moves are around the inner core
creates and sustains the planet’s magnetic field.
 INNER CORE
The final layer of the Earth is the inner core
which is an exceedingly hot, dense huge metal of
mostly iron 2500 km wide. The temperature of the
inner core ranges from 5,000 C to 6,000 C. which is
enough to make metal melt. It has a strong around it
making the metal stay solid. With this unusual set of
circumstances, some scientist tends to assume that
the inner core is not totally solid but rather as a
plasma behaving as a solid. The earth’s inner core
rotates easterly like the surface making its rotation
slightly different from the rest of the Earth.
 HYDROSPHERE

OCEANS (“hydro “means water)

MOST OF THE EARTH WATER IN THE

This covers about 75% of Earth’s surface,
OCEANS:
including groundwater and Earth’s frozen water
Ø PACIFIC (the cryosphere) and almost 1% of the water is
Ø ATLANTIC drinkable. The Oceans help regulate climate by
Ø INDIAN absorbing large amounts of solar energy,
Ø ANTARTIC particularly near the equator, and circulating heat

towards the poles. Water constantly circulates
between the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, and
the atmosphere through water cycle processes.
Interconnection
and Matter process

1. Matter Transfer
2. Energy Transfer
3. Change Leads to
Change
THATS ALL FOR
TODAY CLASS!!