EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE

Name: _____________________________________________ Date: ___________________

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LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Earth: One Special Planet

Earth is one special planet

It has liquid water, green vegetation, large patches of fertile land and an atmosphere that shelters it from harmful
electromagnetic ra\
A on from the sun. These are some of the properties of the Earth necessary to support life. The other pbgnm,./lanets in
the solar system do not have most of these characteristics.

Earth is made up of layers:

Core - The Earth has an inner core and an outer core. Present-day science finds evidence that the inner core is solid and
mainly made of iron (Fe). The outer core, though mostly iron, is liquid or melted iron due to the extreme heat.

Mantle - This layer is made of rocky materials. Since the temperature of this layer is very high, the mantle behaves as
both liquid and solid. Geologists state that the mantle “flows” because of convection currents. Convection currents.
Convection takes place because the very hot material at the deepest part of the mantle rises then cools. The cooler
material then sinks and becomes heated from the core. Once heated, the materials rise again, and so on, repeating the
cycle of convection currents.

Crust - This outermost layer of the earth is the one inhabited by humans and other organisms. Compared to other layers,
the crust is thinner and more brittle. It is fragmented into pieces of various sizes. Large pieces are called tectonic plates.

The Earth system is complex and comprises four major geological subsystems. Many natural processes arise from the
interactions among these subsystems.

The Four (4) Major Geological Subsystems of the Earth

A. Atmosphere - is the mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth. It makes up about 0.07% of the Earth’s mass.
B. Hydrosphere - comprises all waters on Earth, including subsurface (e.g., oceans, lakes, and rivers) and atmospheric
(e.g., water vapor) water. The ocean is the hydrosphere’s largest component.

C. Geosphere - is the solid portion of the Earth, which is made up of rocks and minerals.

D. Biosphere - consists of all organisms on Earth, including those on land, in the waters, and in the air.

Interaction between two or more spheres:

1. El Niño (Hydrosphere and Atmosphere)
2. Ozone Exchange (Atmosphere and Biosphere)
3. Tectonics (Hydrosphere and Lithosphere)
4. Photosynthesis (Hydrosphere, Atmosphere and Biosphere)

Exercises:

1. Choose one of the interactions between spheres and explain how it gives rise to the stated natural phenomenon.
Illustrate with a drawing.

2. Identify the different types of spheres interacting in the following geologic events.
a) Typhoon
b) Tsunami
c) Volcanic eruption

3. Draw and label the layers of the earth. Show the directional flow of convection currents in the mantle.

4. Is the atmosphere of the earth a permanent fixture, something that cannot change? What would happen if the
atmosphere deteriorates?