Lesson

Origin and Structure of the

1 Earth – The Subsystem
Earth is sometimes called the “water planet” or the “blue planet” because seas
cover more than two-thirds of its surface. Earth is the only planet or moon in the
solar system with rain that falls from clouds, runs over the land, and collects in
extensive oceans. It is also the only body we know that supports life. This self-
learning module will help you understand the subsystem of the planet where you
stand right now.
Subsystems of the Earth

Earth . Differentiate one with the other.

Atmosphere
(A) (B)
Geosphere (C)
Hydrosphere (D
)
Biosphere

Analyze and label the given picture. From the picture, create a general concept on
each picture and identify the physical characteristics of the subsystem of the

Subsystems of the Earth

The four subsystems of the Earth are:

1. Atmosphere – the gaseous layer above the Earth’s surface primarily

composed of different gases such as nitrogen and oxygen.
2. Biosphere – the zone of the Earth where all forms of life exist. This serves as
the ecosystem of all living and non- living organisms.
3. Geosphere – the solid part of the Earth that consists the entire planet from
the center of the core to the outer crust. It includes core, mantle, and crust
of the Earth.
 4. Hydrosphere – the water part of the Earth that includes oceans and
glaciers.

Subsystem are connected to each other

According to John Muir, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it
attached to the rest of the world.” How is the given diagram related to the said
quote? How does the four subsystem of the Earth connect with each other?

The four subsystems of the Earth are:

1. Atmosphere – it is the gaseous layer above the Earth’s surface, primarily

composed of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Other gases like argon, carbon
dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and other inert gases made the remaining
1%. The atmosphere supports life because animals and oxygen, and plants
need both carbon dioxide and oxygen. In addition, the atmosphere supports life
indirectly by regulating climate. Air acts as both a blanket and a filter, retaining
heat at night and shielding from direct solar radiation during the day.

2. Biosphere – the zone of Earth where all forms of life exist: in the sea, on land,
and in water. It is sometimes called as the large ecosystem. This is the zone
that life inhabits. Biosphere is a very thin layer of the earth’s surface.

3. Geosphere – the solid Earth, consisting of the entire planet from the center of
the core to the outer crust. It includes the core, mantle, and crust of the Earth.

4. Hydrosphere – the water part of the Earth which circulates among oceans,
continents, glaciers, and atmosphere. Oceans cover 71% of the Earth and
contain 97.5% of its water.
Earth is a complex system made up of many smaller systems through which matter
and energy are continuously cycled. Energy and matter flow through Earth’s
spheres: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Energy flows
through the atmosphere mostly by convection. How does matter and energy flow
across the four subsystems of the Earth? The Earth consists of four subsystems,
across whose boundaries matter and energy flows, the atmosphere (air), biosphere
(living things), hydrosphere (water), and geosphere (land). The atmosphere provides
the geosphere with heat and energy needed for rock breakdown and erosion. The
biosphere receives gases, heat, and sunlight (energy) from the atmosphere. It
receives water from the hydrosphere and a living medium from the geosphere.

“Connect Me Spheres”

Procedure: Analyze the interactions of the spheres after the onslaught of Taal
Volcano.
 Ge
o
1. What sphere caused the event?
2. What are the effects of the event on one or more spheres?
3. What is the global implication of the event?

Everything in Earth's system can be placed into one of four major subsystems:

land, water, living things, or air. These four subsystems are called "spheres."
Specifically, they are the "lithosphere" (land), "hydrosphere" (water), "biosphere"
(living things), and "atmosphere" (air).

Scientists divide the planet into two main components: the biosphere, which
consists of all life, and the geosphere. The geosphere has four subsystems called
the lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere. Because these
subsystems interact with each other and the biosphere, they work together to
influence the climate, trigger geological processes, and affect life all over the
Earth.

The main components of the earth system

The earth system is itself an integrated system, but it can be subdivided into four main
components, sub-systems or spheres: the geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and
biosphere. These components are also systems in their own right and they are tightly
interconnected. The four main components of the earth system may be described briefly in
the following way.

 The geosphere - this is the part of the planet composed of rock and
minerals; it includes the solid crust, the molten mantle and the liquid and
solid parts of the earth's core. In many places, the geosphere develops a
layer of soil in which nutrients become available to living organisms, and
which thus provides an important ecological habitat and the basis of many
forms of life. The surface of the geosphere is subject to processes of erosion,
weathering and transport, as well as to tectonic forces and volcanic activity,
which result in the formation of landforms such as mountains, hills and
plateaux.
 The atmosphere - this is the gaseous layer surrounding the earth and held
to its surface by gravity. The atmosphere receives energy from solar
radiation which warms the earth's surface and is re-emitted and conducted
to the atmosphere. The atmosphere also absorbs water from the earth's
surface via the process of evaporation; it then acts to redistribute heat and
moisture across the earth's surface. In addition, the atmosphere contains
substances that are essential for life, including carbon, nitrogen, oxygen
and hydrogen.
 The hydrosphere - this consists of those parts of the earth system
composed of water in its liquid, gaseous (vapour) and solid (ice) phases. The
hydrosphere includes: the earth's oceans and seas; its ice sheets, sea ice
and glaciers; its lakes, rivers and streams; its atmospheric moisture and ice
crystals; and its areas of permafrost. The hydrosphere includes both
saltwater and freshwater systems, and it also includes the moisture found
in the soil (soil water) and within rocks (groundwater). Water is essential for
the existence and maintenance of life on earth. In some classifications, the
 hydrosphere is sub-divided into the fluid water systems and
the cryosphere (the ice systems).
 The biosphere - this contains all living organisms and it is intimately
related to the other three spheres: most living organisms require gases from
the atmosphere, water from the hydrosphere and nutrients and minerals
from the geosphere. Living organisms also require a medium for life, and are
adapted to inhabit one or more of the other three spheres. However, much
of the biosphere is contained within a shallow surface layer encompassing
the lower part of the atmosphere, the surface of the geosphere and
approximately the upper 100 metres of the ocean. Humans are part of the
biosphere, although they are increasingly responsible for the creation of
systems that may be largely artificial (such as cities).

The main components of the earth system are interconnected by flows (also known
as pathways or fluxes) of energy and materials. The most important flows in the earth
system are those concerned with the transfer of energy and the cycling of key materials in
biogeochemical cycles.

Energy flows

The earth is a vast, complex system powered by two sources of energy: an internal source
(the decay of radioactive elements in the geosphere, which generates geothermal heat) and
an external source (the solar radiation received from the Sun); the vast majority of the
energy in the earth system comes from the Sun. Whilst some variations in these two
sources occur, their energy supplies are relatively constant and they power all of the
planet's environmental systems. Indeed, energy both drives and flows through
environmental systems, and energy pathways may be highly complex and difficult to
identify. For instance, energy may take the form of latent heat which is absorbed or
released when substances change state (for example, between the liquid and gaseous
phases). Energy is transferred within and between environmental systems in three main
ways:

 radiation - this is the process by which energy is transmitted through

space, typically in the form of electromagnetic waves
 convection - this is the physical movement of fluids (such as water or air)
that contain energy in the form of heat; convection does not occur in solids
 conduction - this is the transfer of energy in the form of heat through the
substance of a medium (from molecule to molecule)

Earth’s atmosphere is similar to a jacket for our planet. It surrounds our planet,
keeps us warm, gives us oxygen to breathe, and it is where our weather happens.
Earth’s atmosphere has six layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, the
mesosphere, the thermosphere, the ionosphere, and the exosphere

Earth's atmosphere has a series of layers, each with its own specific traits. Moving
upward from ground level, these layers are named the troposphere, stratosphere,
mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. The exosphere gradually fades away
into the realm of interplanetary space.

Troposphere

The troposphere is the lowest layer of our atmosphere. Starting at ground level, it

extends upward to about 10 km (6.2 miles or about 33,000 feet) above sea level. We
humans live in the troposphere, and nearly all weather occurs in this lowest layer.
Most clouds appear here, mainly because 99% of the water vapor in the
atmosphere is found in the troposphere. Air pressure drops, and temperatures get
colder, as you climb higher in the troposphere.

Stratosphere

The next layer up is called the stratosphere. The stratosphere extends from the top
of the troposphere to about 50 km (31 miles) above the ground. The infamous
ozone layer is found within the stratosphere. Ozone molecules in this layer absorb
high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun, converting the UV energy into heat.
Unlike the troposphere, the stratosphere actually gets warmer the higher you go!
That trend of rising temperatures with altitude means that air in the stratosphere
lacks the turbulence and updrafts of the troposphere beneath. Commercial
passenger jets fly in the lower stratosphere, partly because this less-turbulent layer
provides a smoother ride. The jet stream flows near the border between the
troposphere and the stratosphere.

Mesosphere

Above the stratosphere is the mesosphere. It extends upward to a height of about

85 km (53 miles) above our planet. Most meteors burn up in the mesosphere.
Unlike the stratosphere, temperatures once again grow colder as you rise up
through the mesosphere. The coldest temperatures in Earth's atmosphere, about
-90° C (-130° F), are found near the top of this layer. The air in the mesosphere is
far too thin to breathe; air pressure at the bottom of the layer is well below 1% of
the pressure at sea level, and continues dropping as you go higher.

Thermosphere

The layer of very rare air above the mesosphere is called the thermosphere. High-
energy X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun are absorbed in the thermosphere,
raising its temperature to hundreds or at times thousands of degrees. However, the
air in this layer is so thin that it would feel freezing cold to us! In many ways, the
thermosphere is more like outer space than a part of the atmosphere. Many
satellites actually orbit Earth within the thermosphere! Variations in the amount
of energy coming from the Sun exert a powerful influence on both the height of the
top of this layer and the temperature within it. Because of this, the top of the
thermosphere can be found anywhere between 500 and 1,000 km (311 to 621
miles) above the ground. Temperatures in the upper thermosphere can range from
about 500° C (932° F) to 2,000° C (3,632° F) or higher. The aurora, the Northern
Lights and Southern Lights, occur in the thermosphere.

Exosphere

Although some experts consider the thermosphere to be the uppermost layer of our
atmosphere, others consider the exosphere to be the actual "final frontier" of
Earth's gaseous envelope. As you might imagine, the "air" in the exosphere is very,
very, very thin, making this layer even more space-like than the thermosphere. In
fact, air in the exosphere is constantly - though very gradually - "leaking" out of
Earth's atmosphere into outer space. There is no clear-cut upper boundary where
the exosphere finally fades away into space. Different definitions place the top of
the exosphere somewhere between 100,000 km (62,000 miles) and 190,000 km
(120,000 miles) above the surface of Earth. The latter value is about halfway to the
Moon!
Ionosphere

The ionosphere is not a distinct layer like the others mentioned above. Instead, the
ionosphere is a series of regions in parts of the mesosphere and thermosphere
where high-energy radiation from the Sun has knocked electrons loose from their
parent atoms and molecules. The electrically charged atoms and molecules that are
formed in this way are called ions, giving the ionosphere its name and endowing
this region with some special properties.

LAYERS OF EARTH

Crust
The solid crust is the outermost and thinnest layer of our planet. The crust
averages 25 miles (40 kilometers) in thickness and is divided in to fifteen major
tectonic plates that are rigid in the center and have geologic activity at the
boundaries, such as earthquakes and volcanism.
The most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust include (listed here by weight
percent) oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, and calcium. These elements combine to
form the most abundant minerals in the Earth’s crust, members of the silicate
family – plagioclase and alkali feldspars, quartz, pyroxenes, amphiboles, micas,
and clay minerals.
All three rock types (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) can be found in
Earth’s crust. Crustal material is classified as oceanic crust or continental crust.
Oceanic crust underlies our ocean basins, is thin, approximately 4 miles (7
kilometers) in thickness, and is composed of dense rocks, primarily the igneous
rock basalt. Continental crust is thicker, ranging from 6 to 47 miles (10 to 75
kilometers), and has a high abundance of the less dense igneous rock granite. The
oldest rocks on our planet are part of the continental crust and date back
approximately 4 billion years in age. Ocean crust is constantly recycled through
our planet’s system of plate tectonics and only dates back to approximately 200
million years ago.

Mantle
Mantle material is hot (932 to 1,652 degrees Fahrenheit, 500 to 900 degrees
Celsius) and dense and moves as semi-solid rock. The mantle is 1,802 miles (2,900
km) thick and is composed of silicate minerals that are similar to ones found in the
crust, except with more magnesium and iron and less silicon and aluminum.
The base of the mantle, at the boundary with the outer core, is termed the
Gutenberg discontinuity. It is at this depth (1,802 miles, 2,900 km) where
secondary earthquake waves, or S waves, disappear, as S waves cannot travel
through liquid.
Scientists are utilizing seismic tomography to construct 3-dimensional images of
the mantle, but there are still limitations with the technology to fully map the
Earth's interior. 
Outer Core
The outer core is composed mostly of iron and nickel, with these metals found in
liquid form. The outer core reaches between 7,200 and 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit
(4,000 and 5,000 degrees Celsius) and is estimated to be 1,430 miles (2,300 km)
thick. It is the movement of the liquid within the outer core that generates Earth’s
magnetic field.
Inner Core
The inner core is the hottest part of our planet, at temperatures between 9,000 and
13,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5,000 and 7,000 degrees Celsius). This solid layer is
smaller than our Moon at 750 miles (1,200 km) thick and is composed mostly of
iron. The iron is under so much pressure from the overlying planet that it cannot
melt and stays in a solid state.
The solid inner core is believed to have formed relatively recently, around half a
billion years ago.  In February 2015, scientists reported in the journal Nature
Geoscience their discovery that the inner core may in fact be two distinct cores with
complex structural properties, where iron crystals in the outer layer of the inner
core are oriented north-south, and iron crystals in the inner-inner core are aligned
east-west. This new discovery may help scientists learn more about the history and
formation of planet Earth
BIOSPHERE

The biosphere consists of all living organisms on Earth, including human beings
and other animals, plants and microorganisms, along with the organic matter
they produce. The term "biosphere" was coined by Eduard Suess in 1875 but was
further refined in the 1920s by Vladimir Vernadsky to denote its current scientific
usage. The biosphere has five levels of organizational structure.

Earth's Biomes

The biosphere is divided into regions called biomes. Biomes are the largest of the
five organizational levels. Scientists classify biomes into five main types --
aquatic, desert, forest, grassland and tundra. The main reason for classifying the
biosphere into biomes is to highlight the importance of physical geography on
communities of living organisms. A biome may contain several ecosystems and is
defined by the geography, climate and the species native to the region. Factors to
determine climate include average temperature, amount of rainfall and humidity.
When classifying species, scientists traditionally focus on the types of vegetation
native to a particular region.

Ecosystem Characteristics

Ecosystems are the second organizational classification when examining the five
levels of the biosphere. An ecosystem contains biotic factors such as animals and
plants, and abiotic factors such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon. Ecosystems are
divided based on the interaction and the transfer of energy. Within each
ecosystem, energy is consumed, and matter is cycled in the form of chemicals and
nutrients among different groups of organisms and their environment. A basic
example is that primary producers, such as plants, obtain energy from the sun
through photosynthesis. Consumers, such as animals, eat the plants to obtain
energy. When the animals die, decomposers eat the bodies and release chemicals
that enrich the soil, allowing plants to grow

Hydrosphere, discontinuous layer of water at or near Earth’s surface. It includes

all liquid and frozen surface waters, groundwater held in soil and rock, and
atmospheric water vapour
Central to any discussion of the hydrosphere is the concept of the water cycle (or
hydrologic cycle). This cycle consists of a group of reservoirs containing water, the
processes by which water is transferred from one reservoir to another (or
transformed from one state to another), and the rates of transfer associated with
such processes. These transfer paths penetrate the entire hydrosphere, extending
upward to about 15 km (9 miles) in Earth’s atmosphere and downward to depths
on the order of 5 km (3 miles) in its crust.

There are four main stages in the water cycle. They are evaporation, condensation,
precipitation and collection.

Evaporation: This is when warmth from the sun causes water from oceans, lakes,
streams, ice and soils to rise into the air and turn into water vapour (gas). Water
vapour droplets join together to make clouds!

Condensation: This is when water vapour in the air cools down and turns back
into liquid water.

Precipitation: This is when water (in the form of rain, snow, hail or sleet) falls from
clouds in the sky.

Collection: This is when water that falls from the clouds as rain, snow, hail or
sleet, collects in the oceans, rivers, lakes, streams. Most will infiltrate (soak into)
the ground and will collect as underground water.

The water cycle is powered by the sun's energy and by gravity. The sun kickstarts
the whole cycle by heating all the Earth's water and making it evaporate. Gravity
makes the moisture fall back to Earth.