Earth and earth

system
 EARTH AS A SYSTEM

• The term “Earth system" refers to Earth´s interacting physical,

chemical, and biological processes. The system consists of the land,
oceans, atmosphere and poles. It includes the planet's natural cycles
— the carbon, water, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur and other cycles
— and deep Earth processes.

• A set of interconnected components that are interacting to form a

unified whole
Earth system is essentially a
CLOSED SYSTEM

A closed system is a system in which there is only an

exchange of heat or energy and no exchange of
matter

Earth returns energy from the sun and returns some

of this energy to space
 TYPES OF SYSTEM

 Isolated: no matter or energy enters or leaves

 Closed: energy enters and leaves but material does not
 Open: both energy and matter enter and leave

 The Earth is a closed system: energy from sunlight enters and

“no” matter enters or leaves (except for the rare meteorite)
COMPONENTS OR SUBSYSTEM
OF THE EARTH SYSTEM
BIOSPHERE
is a global ecosystem made up of living organisms (biota) and the
nonliving (abiotic) factors that provide them with energy and
nutrients. The biosphere is a narrow zone on the surface of the earth
where soil, water, and air combine to sustain life. Life can only
occur in this zone.

Some examples of organisms that make up the biosphere include fish,

algae, fungi, plants, insects, arachnids, animals, and human beings.
However, the biosphere does not just include large, macroscopic life
forms; it also includes microscopic life forms.

The six most common elements of life on Earth (including

more than 97% of the mass of a human body) are carbon,
hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur and phosphorus.
abiotic
are non-living components; such as water, soil and
atmosphere.
Abiotic components of biosphere are:
Inorganic substances – includes oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen,
water etc.
Organic components- proteins, fats and carbohydrates. This link
abiotic components with biotic components.
Climatic factors – are of two types, atmosphere and edaphic
ABIOTIC FACTORS
Biotic factors are living things within an ecosystem; such
as plants, animals, and bacteria,
BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC
COMPONENTS
Hydrosphere
The biosphere, which includes the ground and the air,
is characterized as the region of the planet where
organisms live. The biosphere is defined as the region
on, above, and below the Earth’s surface where life
exists.
The biosphere is a narrow zone on the surface of the earth
where soil, water, and air combine to sustain life. Life can only
occur in this zone

The biosphere is characterized as an area that

contains all living organisms and the products of
their activities.
Hydrosphere

About 70% of the earth is covered

with liquid water(hydrosphere) and
much of it is in the form of ocean
water

Only 3% of the earth’s water is

fresh:
Twi-thirds are in the form of ice;
And the remaining one-third is
present in streams,lakes, and
groundwater
Hydrologic (water) cycle
ATMOSPHERE

Atmosphere is the gaseous

layer that envelopes the
The present atmosphere is
lithosphere
composed of 78% nitrogen (N),
21% oxygen (02),0.9% argon,
and trace amount of other gases
One of the most important processes by
which the heat on the earth’s surface is
redistributed is thought atmosphere
circulation
ATMOSPHERIC
CIRCULATION
 GEOSPHERE
Comprises the solid Earth and includes both
earth’s surface and the various layers of the
Earth’s interior

94% percent of the Earth is composed of

the elements oxygen and silicon
(combined as the compound silica[silicon
oxide:SiO2]). Iron and magnesium

Interior of the earth is layered bothe

chemically and mechanically
GEOSPHERE:INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER EARTH SYSTEM COMPONENTS
EARTH’S INTERNAL STRUCTURE
 LAYERS OF THE EARTH

1. CRUST
Continental & Oceanic
2. Mantle
Upper & Lower
3.Core
Outer & Inner
two types of lithosphere:

Oceanic lithosphere-

Oceanic lithosphere is produced at ocean ridges and cools, thickens, and increases
in age as it moves away from ridges. The standard model involves cooling by
conduction and increasing in thickness until about 70 Myr, reaching a maximum
thickness of about 120 km. In contrast, the underlying asthenosphere is mixed by
shallow convection and is thought to convert to lithosphere by cooling with little or
no change in composition. Between the oceanic lithosphere and asthenosphere is a
thermal boundary layer about 80 km thick in which small-scale convection occurs.
Continental lithosphere
Continental lithosphere can reach the
subduction zone both in collisional processes,
after the closure of an oceanic basin, and as
patches of overthickened oceanic crust
isostatically more buoyant than normal
oceanic lithosphere (i.e., seamount chains,
island arcs, plateaus).

Experimental outcomes showed that the oceanic

closure is followed by subduction of continental
lithosphere which may reach depths ranging
between 50 and 450 km, prior to the onset of
continental collision.
1. The crust
This is the outside layer of the earth and is made of solid
rock, mostly basalt and granite. There are two types of
crust; oceanic and continental. Oceanic crust is denser
and thinner and mainly com​posed of basalt. Continental
crust is less dense, thicker, and mainly composed of
granite.
The mantle
The mantle lies below the crust and is
up to 2900 km thick. It consists of hot,
dense, iron and magnesium-rich solid
rock. The crust and the upper part of
the mantle make up the lithosphere,
which is broken into plates, both large
and small.
The core

The core is the centre of the earth and is made up

of two parts: the liquid outer core and solid inner
core. The outer core is made of nickel, iron and
molten rock. Temperatures here can reach up to
50,000 C.