Chapter 9:

Earth
9.1 :
The System & Structure of the Earth
 The Earth is a system consisting of
4 major interacting components:

• Atmosphere
• Hydrosphere
• Biosphere
• Geosphere

Create the suitable conditions for living things to

sustain life on Earth.
• AIR ZONE: covers the entire Earth’s
surface • WATER ZONE: includes all water on
• Essential to all life on Earth because Earth
it contains : • About 71% of Earth’s surface is
• Oxygen covered in water
• Carbon dioxide • Amount of water is maintained
through the water cycle

Atmosphere Hydrosphere
Earth System
Geosphere Biosphere

• ROCK & SOIL ZONE: solid parts of
the Earth which includes volcanoes,
rocks, coal and other mineral
resources
• LIFE ZONE: consists of a variety of
living things (humans, plants,
animals and microorganisms in the
atmosphere, geosphere and
hydrosphere)
ATMOSPHERIC STRATIFICATION

• Each layer has • The atmosphere

different : consists of 5 layers:
• Temperature 1. Troposphere
• Air pressure 2. Stratosphere
• Roles 3. Mesosphere
4. Thermosphere
5. Exosphere
 0-13 km from the Earth’s
surface
• The closest layer to the Earth’s
surface
• Unstable : formation of winds, rain,
clouds, snow & changes in humidity &
temperature occur here
• The higher the altitude, the lower the
temperature & air pressure in this
layer
• It is heated by the heat reflected by
the Earth’s surface.
• Thus, temperature decreases when
the layer is further away from the
Earth’s surface
1. What do you feel when you are at a mountain top?
2. Will you feel cold and have difficulties in breathing?
 13-50 km from the Earth’s
surface
• No clouds, more stable and
suitable for airplane flights

• Contains ozone layer: absorbs

most of the harmful ultraviolet
light (UV) rays.

• At higher altitude, more light is

absorbed: temperature in this
layer increases with altitude.
 50-80 km from the Earth’s
surface
• The coldest layer (about -90°C)
with low pressure

• Temperature decreases with

increasing altitude. The higher the
altitude, the lower the
temperature

• Burning and destruction of

meteorites occur here
 80 - 480 km from the Earth’s
surface
• Very high temperature (up to 1 650°C) as it
receives much UV rays which is converted
to heat

• Temperature in this layer increases with

altitude.

• Has fewest air molecules, low air pressure

• Also called ionosphere:

• has ions (charged gas particles)
• The Sun radiation causes particles to
become electrically charged
 • Important in
communications field :
The ions help to
reflect radio waves
(signal) back to the
Earth , so that it can
travel around the
world

• Aurora is formed
when the ions react
Figure 9.2: Aurora Borealis ( a stream
with Earth’s magnetic
of colourful lights) that can be seen
from the Earth’s North and South Poles field and atmospheric
occurs in thermosphere. It is also gases.
known as Northern and Southern light

Figure 9.3: Satellites orbit
earth in exosphere which
allow phone calls and
television broadcasts
80-480 km from the Earth’s
surface
• The outermost layer
• Temperature goes up with
altitude
• Contains light gases (helium,
hydrogen) and becomes thinner
towards space
• Becomes vacuum at about 700km
from Earth’s surface.
• Basically the same as outer space
• Important role in field of
communication
 OCEAN STRATIFICATION

• Scientists have divided the ocean into 3 main zones

(based on the amount of light that can penetrate the
sea water):
• Surface zone
• Midnight zone
• Dark zone

• Distribution of life species differ with the depth of

zone
 SURFACE ZONE
(0-200m from sea level)
• Water is very shallow, can be
penetrated by sunlight
• Photosynthesis can be carried out
• Thus about 90% of life in the ocean
are distributed in this zone

MIDNIGHT ZONE
(200-1 500m from sea level)
• Has little or no light- difficult for
plants to live here
• Larger sea creatures (giant squid,
whales) can adapt to live here
DARK ZONE
• Most of the creature are black or red
(‹1 500 from sea level)
in colour due to lack of light
• Very deep, dark and no light can
reach
• Thus, the temperature is very low
• Most of the creatures have
shimmering bodies / are able to glow
in the dark
• Eg: anglerfish – can produce light to
helps in its movement
 DISTRIBUTION OF WATER
ON EARTH
• Almost 97% of water on Earth is salt water from the
ocean.
• The rest exists as freshwater and is distributed as :
• Underground water
• Surface water – lakes, rivers, swamps
• Glaciers and ice caps at the poles
• Stored water – in soil, clouds, atmosphere, organisms body
• Total amount of water contained in the Earth, on the
Earth’s surface and in the Earth’s atmosphere is always
constant and recycled continuously through the water
cycle
EARTH’S LAYERS : Made up of 3 main layers
The Earth's layers (strata)
Crust : • The outermost layer of the
Earth – solid

• The top part of lithosphere

• Divided into 2 layers:

• Continental crust
• – top layer
• - composed of
granite
• Oceanic crust
• Beneath the granite
• A layer of hard rock
(known as basalt)

• Most of the crust consists of

igneous rock
 Mantle
• Layer below the crust
• Largest layer of the Earth (70% of Earth’s volume)
• Asthenosphere : consist of semi-molten rock due to high
temperature (i.e 1 400°C)
• Mesosphere :
– Found directly under asthenosphere
– Lowest part of mantle
– Hotter, but higher pressure keeps this layer more rigid
• Unstable due to the convection current that causes the
movement of mantle
 Core :
• Consists of 2 layers:
• Outer core
Liquid sate
• Inner core
Solid form
Denser and hotter

• 2x denser than the mantel

layer :
• Core layer contains mineral
metals
• Mantle layer mostly made
up of rock
Earth is THE ONLY HOME for Living Organisms
1. Physical conditions are suitable to support life
2. Temperature not too
hot or not too cold
• 3rd planet from the sun
• Distance between the
Earth and the Sun

3. Existence of freshwater
and oxygen – allows
living things to obtain
the basic needs to
sustain life