The Earth System

The Earth System

 “Earth is a complex
system of interacting
physical, chemical and
biological processes,
and provides a natural
laboratory whose
experiments have been
running since the
beginning of time.”

NASA
http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/earthsystem/nutshell/
 Earth As A Closed System

Closed system: exchange of energy but negligible

exchange of mass with surroundings
 Earth System Science

 Earth is a dynamic body

with many separate, but
highly interacting parts or
spheres.
 Earth system science
studies Earth as a system
composed of numerous
parts, or subsystems.
The Earth System M. Ruzek, 1999
The Earth’s Four Spheres
 Earth’s Four Spheres

The Earth is a system consisting of four major

interacting components:

Geosphere: comprises the solid Earth and includes

both Earth’s surface and the various layers of
the Earth's interior.
Atmosphere: gaseous envelope that surrounds the
Earth and constitutes the transition between its
and the vacuum of space
Hydrosphere: includes all water on Earth (including
surface water and groundwater)
Biosphere: the life zone of the Earth and includes all
living organisms, and all organic matter that has
not yet decomposed.
Overlapping Cycles in the Earth System

http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/GRAPHIC0/Astronomy/EarthSystems.gif
 The Atmosphere
The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of
air, which we call the atmosphere.
• The atmosphere consists of four
unique layers (the troposphere, the
stratosphere, the mesosphere, and the
thermosphere).
• The atmosphere reaches over 560
kilometers (348 miles) up from the
surface of the Earth.
• The atmosphere is primarily
composed of nitrogen (about 78%) and
oxygen (about 21%). Other
components exist in small quantities.
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/space/atmosphere.html
 Atmosphere
• consists of a mixture of gases composed primarily of
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour
•The mesosphere,
thermosphere, and
exosphere are zones of
diffuse atmospheric
components in the far
reaches of the
atmosphere.

The stratosphere
(10 to 50 km),
•The troposphere (0-10 contains ozone that
km) constitutes the protects life on the
climate system that planet by filtering
maintains the conditions harmful ultraviolet
suitable for life on the radiation from the
planet's surface. Sun.
Atmosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Hydrosphere: The gases of the atmosphere readily exchange

with those dissolved in water bodies (e.g. oceans, lakes, etc.)

Biosphere: The atmosphere supplies oxygen and carbon

dioxide that form the basis of life processes (photosynthesis
and respiration).

Geosphere: Gases in the atmosphere react with water to

produce weak acids that aid in the breakdown of rock.
 System Interactions
Hurricanes (atmosphere) sweep
across the ocean (hydrosphere) and
onto the land (geosphere), damaging
the dwellings of people (biosphere)
who live along the coast.

Hydrosphere

Atmosphere Geosphere

http://www.itvs.org/risingwaters/

Biosphere
 The Biosphere
The biosphere is the “life zone” of the Earth, and includes all
living organisms (including humans), and all organic matter that has not
yet decomposed.
• The biosphere is structured into a hierarchy known as the food chain
(all life is dependant on the first tier – mainly the primary producers
that are capable of photosynthesis).
• Energy and mass is transferred from one level of the food chain to the
next.

http://www.geology.ufl.edu/Biosphere.html
Biosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Atmosphere: Life processes involve a many chemical

reactions which either extract or emit gases to and from the
atmosphere (e.g. photosynthesis consumes carbon dioxide
and releases oxygen, whereas respiration does the
opposite).

Hydrosphere: Evaporation of water from leaf surfaces

(transpiration) transfers water to the atmosphere.

Geosphere: The biosphere is connected to the geosphere

through soils (mixtures of air, mineral matter, organic matter,
and water). Plant activity (e.g. root growth and organic acid
production) are also for the mechanical and chemical
breakdown of the rocks.
 Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere contains all the water
found on our planet.
• Water found on the surface of our planet
includes the ocean as well as water from lakes
and rivers, streams, and creeks.
• Water found under the surface of our planet
includes water trapped in the soil and
groundwater.
• Water found in our atmosphere includes
water vapor.
• Frozen water on our planet includes ice caps
and glaciers.
• Only about 3% of the water on Earth is http://water.tamu.edu/watercycle.html

“fresh” water, and about 70% of the fresh

water is frozen in the form of glacial ice.
Subcomponents of hydrosphere are
connected via the hydrologic cycle
Hydrosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Atmosphere: Water is transferred between the hydrosphere

and biosphere by evaporation and precipitation. Energy is
also exchanged in this process.

Biosphere: Water is necessary for the transport of nutrients

and waste products in organisms.

Geosphere: Water is the primary agent for the chemical and

mechanical breakdown of rock (weathering), to form loose
rock fragments and soil, and sculpts the surface of the
Earth.
 Geosphere
The geosphere is the solid
Earth that includes the continental
and ocean crust as well the various
layers of Earth’s interior.
• 94% of the Earth is composed of
the elements oxygen, silicon, and
magnesium.
• The geopsphere is not static
(unchanging), but its surface
(crust) is in a constant state of
motion.
• Mineral resources are mined
from the geosphere.
http://ess.geology.ufl.edu/ess/Introduction/Geosphere.html
 Earth’s Layers: Composition and Mechanical Characteristics
Composition Physical Characteristics
crust Primarily silica
lithosphere brittle solid
plus light solid (but
asthenosphere
metallic nearly
elements liquid)

mantle
mesosphere solid
Primarily
silica plus
iron and
magnesium

outer core liquid

Primarily iron
core and nickel
inner core solid

Note: Lithosphere contains both crust and uppermost (brittle) layer of mantle
Geosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Atmosphere: volcanism spews significant amounts of gases

into the atmosphere. For example, volcanoes inject large
amounts of sulphur dioxide to the upper atmosphere, resulting
in global cooling.

Hydrosphere: The formation of many minerals involve

incorporation or release of water. Also, water speeds up
chemical reactions that produce or destroy minerals, and aids
in the melting of rock.

Biosphere: Nutrients released from rocks during their

breakdown are dissolved in water (to be used by aquatic
plants).
 System Interactions

Volcanoes (geosphere) erupt, sending

ash and gases into the air (atmosphere)
and sending lava and ash down onto
surrounding forests (biosphere) and
human habitations (biosphere).

Geosphere

Atmosphere Biosphere http://www.ecuador-

travel.net/information.volcano.pichin
cha.eruption.htm
 System Interactions
Earthquakes (geosphere) can damage
buildings which may kill people
(biosphere), as well as cause fires which
release gases into the air (atmosphere).
Earthquakes in the ocean may cause a
tsunami (hydrosphere) which can
eventually hit land and kill both animals
and people (biosphere).

Biosphere

Geosphere Atmosphere

Hydrosphere
 Where Do Humans Fit In ?

As components of the biosphere, humans are temporary

receptacles of the matter and energy that flows through
the Earth System

“You are what you eat, drink, and breathe”

Human health is, to some degree, a function of how this

flow of matter and energy flows through, and interacts
with, the human body

In many cases, problems of human health are

fundamentally linked to the natural distribution of Earth
materials
The Bottom Line

Considerations on how processes within the Earth System

interact are extremely important in the understanding of
the real world !

Understanding physical and chemical processes in the

Earth System is as important as understanding
biological entities in terms of understanding biological
systems (all are connected)

Let’s break down some walls this term !

 Homework
 Give two examples of how the Earth
system’s four parts can interact with each
other.
 Example: Animals (biosphere) can wear paths
in Earth’s surface (geosphere).
 Identify the parts involved in the following
scenarios:
 Wind blows a sailboat across a lake.
 A bear digs under a log to search for good.