Earth’s Spheres

And how they affect each other

 Our Targets

Explain that the Earth consists of four subsystems,

across whose boundaries matter and energy flow.
(S11/12ES-Ia-e-4)
1. describe the Earth’s four subsystems; and
2. Cite examples of interactions occur between
Earth’s subsystems
1. Which of the following is a system in which there is
only an exchange of heat energy and no exchange of
matter?
A. Closed system
B. Opened system
C. Subsystem
D. Solar system

Answer: A
2. Which earth’s subsystem refers to the set of all life
forms on Earth?
A. Atmosphere
B. Biosphere
C. Geosphere
D. Hydrosphere

Answer: B
3. Which two system subsystems are interacting when
plants produce oxygen?
A. Atmosphere and geosphere
B. Biosphere and atmosphere
C. Biosphere and hydrosphere
D. Hydrosphere and atmosphere

Answer: B
4. Which of the following is an abiotic factor?
A. Plant
B. Air
C. Trees
D. Bees

Answer: B
5. What subsystem are involved in the statement give
below?
“Flooding moves soil and rock to new places”?
A. Atmosphere and hydrosphere
B. Geosphere and biosphere
C. Hydrosphere and biosphere
D. Hydrosphere and geosphere

Answer: D
Looking at the image, what are the major parts of our planet that can
interact as a system?
Earth is divided into 4 main SPHERES
Activity: How Much Do You Know Me?
Directions: Write at least 1 – 3 descriptions of each sphere.

Geosphere Hydrosphere

Earth’s
Spheres
Biosphere Atmosphere
Earth is divided into 4 main SPHERES
Biosphere -Thin layer of air, land, and water where living things
exist.
• Includes all living things and their relationships
• Ranges from 10km above sea level (used by birds in flight) to depths
of the ocean such as the Puerto Rico trench, at more than 8
kilometres deep.
 Geosphere

• All of the rocks, minerals and

ground found on and in Earth
• Includes all mountains on the
surface, as well as liquid rock in the
mantle below the surface as well
as minerals and metals of the outer
and inner cores.
 Geosphere
• Crust:
• The thin, outer layer of the earth.
• Less than 1% of the Earth's mass.
• Made of solid rock, broken into plates.

• Mantle: Molten rock on which plates

float. Contains 67% of the earth's mass.

• Core: Inner layer of the Earth. Made of

both solid and liquid metals.
Hydrosphere
• Includes all of the rivers, lakes, streams, oceans, groundwater, polar ice
caps, glaciers and moisture in the air (like rain and snow).
• The hydrosphere is found on the surface of Earth , but also extends down
several miles below, as well as several miles up into the atmosphere.
Atmosphere
• Includes all the air above the
surface of the Earth all the way to
space.
• The air contains 79% nitrogen,
less than 21% oxygen, and a small
amount of carbon dioxide and
other gases.
 Activity: Where Do I Belong?
DIRECTIONS: Identify the sphere where each of the following items below
could be found. Choose your answer from the box.
HYDROSPHERE GEOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERE BIOSPHERE

1. Fungi 2. Plants 3. Clouds

4. Rocks 5. iceberg 6. River
7. Ozone 8. Mountain 9. Water vapor
How do Earth’s Spheres Interact?
Sphere Interactions Humans (biosphere) built a dam out
of rock materials (lithosphere).
Water in the lake (hydrosphere)
seeps into the cliff walls behind the
dam, becoming groundwater
(lithosphere), or evaporating into
the air (atmosphere).
Humans (biosphere) harness energy
from the water (hydrosphere) by
having it spin turbines (lithosphere)
to produce electricity.
Identify at least two spheres and describe
interactions
Identify at least two spheres and describe
interactions Plants (biosphere) draw water (hydrosphere) and
nutrients from the soil (geosphere) and release
water vapor into the atmosphere. Humans
(biosphere) use farm machinery (manufactured
from geosphere materials) to plow the fields, and
the atmosphere brings precipitation (hydrosphere)
to water the plants. Energy from the sun is stored by
plants (biosphere). When humans or animals
(biosphere) eat the plants, they acquire the energy
originally captured by the plants. Humans expend
some of this energy arranging bricks and wood
(geosphere and biosphere) into buildings.
 Activity: SPHERE’S INTERACTIONS
What spheres are working together to create the indicated
phenomenon?
1. Water in the lake seeps into the cliffs walls behind the dam,
becoming underground water or evaporating into the air?
2. A mountain range block rainfall from reaching an area, making it dry.
3. The ocean supports many ecosystems from coral reefs to tide pools.
4. A sudden rainstorm in the desert can cause flooding and severe
erosion, changing the landscape.
5. Volcanic dents in the ocean creates habitats for creatures that live in
or near the intense heat.
 Activity: SPHERE’S INTERACTIONS
6. The troposphere is where evaporating water form the ocean form
clouds and precipitation.
7. Wave action from the strong winds cause the coastline to erode.
8. Warming the oceans with climate change may be causing the
increase violence in the storms.
9. Daily rain and equator warmth creates the perfect weather and
climate in the country.
10. Plants draw water and nutrients from the soil and release water
vapor into the atmosphere.
 Earth System Processes
 The interactions you've been describing are the processes of Earth
system science. The current "balance" among these complex
interactions makes it possible for life to flourish here. Because the
spheres are all part of the same interconnected system, changes in
any sphere ultimately affect the other spheres as well.
 What effect do you have on the Earth system? As a part of the
biosphere, think of some ways that you change the atmosphere,
hydrosphere, or geosphere.
 Cite some Earth sphere interactions that result from your own daily
activities.
QUIZ TIME!
1. Earth is made up of landforms like mountains and
hills in which subsystem do mountains and hills
belong?
A. Atmosphere
B. Biosphere
C. Geosphere
D. hydrosphere
2. Which of the following is a biotic factor?
A. Water
B. Air
C. Rocks
D. bees
3. Oceans cover almost the entire earth surface.
This is the big part of the earth’s hydrosphere and
plays an important role in earth’s habitable
condition. Which of the following is its function?
a. It protects and absorbs solar radiation.
b. It protects and adsorbs solar radiation.
c. It absorbs and redistributes solar radiation.
d. It adsorbs and replenishes solar radiation.
4. Which subsystem contains all living organisms of
earth, including those in the land, in the water and in
the air?
A. Atmosphere
B. Biosphere
C. Geosphere
D. Hydrosphere
5. Which of the following is an interaction
between geosphere and atmosphere?
A. Bacteria converting nitrogen to ammonium
B. Plants undergoing the process of transpiration
C. Rocks undergoing the process of weathering
due to flood
D. Water evaporating from the soil
Answer:
1. C
2. D
3. C
4. B
5. D
“…. and we are all connected to each other in a
circle, in a loop that never ends.” – Colours of the
Wind

Pocahontas, 1995