Earth’s SubsystemsDavid Ching

Raven LebeauSarah GonzalezKareem Simms

What are Earth’s subsystems?&

How do they interact with each other?

Essential Question 1.

What is the Hydrosphere, and how does it interact with the Atmosphere/Geosphere?

The Hydrosphere

contains all of the solid, liquid and gaseous water on Earth, extending from the depths of the sea to the upper reaches of the troposphere where water is found.

Anything water, can be classified under the Hydrosphere.

Facts

The hydrosphere covers about 70% of the surface of the Earth and is the home for many plants and animals.

The hydrosphere, like the atmosphere, is always in motion. The motion of rivers and streams can be easily seen, while the motion of the water within lakes and ponds is less obvious

Hydrosphere Atmosphere

It is a large reservoir of chemicals that can contribute to the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere and energy absorbing 90% of the solar radiation which hits the surface.

Greenhouse Gases consist of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Carbon Dioxide.

It works with the atmosphere to redistribute the energy received from the sun; such as the heat in the topics.

Hydrosphere Geosphere

The hydrosphere is the main agent responsible for eroding or breaking down the Geosphere.

The Grand Canyon is the best example of this relationship of the Hydrosphere and Geosphere.

The main interaction of the Hydrosphere and Atmosphere is through the Water Cycle.

Essential Question 2.

What is the Atmosphere, and how does it interact with the Biosphere?

The Atmosphere

The gaseous envelope surrounding the earth. The atmosphere contains all of the Earths air and is divided into troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and the thermosphere.

Biosphere Atmosphere

The biosphere and atmosphere interact by exchanging energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

Modify mass transport and thermodynamic structure of the atmosphere affects atmospheric circulation, cloud formation, rainfall, hydrolic cycle, radiative budget of the earths surface.

Essential Question 3.

What is the Biosphere, and how does it interact with the Hydrosphere and Geosphere?

The Biosphere

The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists.

The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees, to the dark environment of ocean trenches, to lush rain forests and high mountaintops.

Facts

Since life exists on the ground, in the air, and in the water, the biosphere overlaps all these spheres.

Although the biosphere measures about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from top to bottom, almost all life exists between about 500 meters (1,640 feet) below the ocean’s surface to about 6 kilometers (3.75 miles) above sea level.

Hydrosphere Biosphere

The ocean represents our planet’s largest Biome, containing 99 percent of the living space on the planet.

Plants absorb the water and produces food for itself. Then the plants give off oxygen. Through Photosynthesis.

Biosphere Geosphere

The Biosphere interacts with the Geosphere by the Carbon cycle.

Including deep storage or carbon in the form of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas as well as carbonate rocks like limestone.

Geosphere

The geosphere is the least dense parts of the world and consists mostly of rock and regolith.

The subsystem of the Earth that has most to do with the Earth’s crust, and land make up.

Video

http://video.about.com/geography/The-Four-Earth-Spheres.htm#vdTrn

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-four-spheres-of-earth-geosphere-hydrosphere-biosphere-and-atmosphere.html#lesson