Earth and Earth Systems

Earth and Earth Systems
Earth as a SYSTEM
SYSTEM - A set of interconnected components that are interacting to form a unified whole.
Types of systems
 Systems can be classified as open, closed, or isolated.
 Open systems allow energy and mass to pass across the system boundary.
 A closed system allows energy but not mass across its system boundary.
 An isolated system allows neither mass or energy to pass across the system boundary.
Open Systems
 The ocean is an example of an open system. Solar radiation passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by
the ocean. The absorbed energy evaporates water from the ocean. As water vapor (mass) enters the
atmosphere it carries with it the heat used to evaporate the water (called latent heat) and raises the air's
humidity. If the humidity is high enough, condensation occurs, latent heat is released, and clouds are created.
Continued condensation creates precipitation (mass) that falls back into the ocean.
 Hence, energy and heat (solar radiation, latent heat) as well as mass (water vapor and precipitation) passes
across the boundary between the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
 All of the "spheres" of the earth system are considered open systems because energy and mass is exchanged
between them.
Closed Systems
 The earth system as a whole is a closed system.
 Virtually no mass is exchanged between the Earth system and the rest of the universe (except for an occasional
meteorite). However, energy in the form of solar radiation passes from the Sun, through the atmosphere to the
surface. Earth in turn emits radiation back out to space across the system boundary. Hence, energy passes
across Earth's system boundary, but not mass, making it a closed system.
 Example is boiling water just add lead in top so that no matter cannot leave the system.
 The 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.
 The Earth receives energy from the sun and returns some of this energy to space.
Earth: Matter does not come and go
 Earth is a closed system to matter
So matter is constantly recycled on Earth.

 Earth system is essentially a closed system. It receives energy from the sun and returns some of this energy to
space.
Isolated system
 Closed thermos bottle is essentially an isolated system
Earth as a system
 Earth is a gigantic system of interconnected parts and processes. Seeing Earth as an integrated system shows
the importance of each of its parts.
 In nature, no part of the system exists in complete isolation.
 The earth behaves as a system in which the components are all connected.
 Within the boundary of the earth is a collection of four interdependent parts called "spheres”.
Components or subsystems of the Earth system
Biosphere - Includes all life forms on Earth; It covers all ecosystems—from the soil to the rainforest, from mangroves to
coral reefs, and from the plankton-rich ocean surface to the deep sea.
Biosphere
 The biosphere is the set of all life forms on Earth.
 This sphere includes all of the microorganisms, plants, and animals of Earth.
 It covers all ecosystems—from the soil to the rainforest, from mangroves to coral reefs, and from the plankton-
rich ocean surface to the deep sea.
 For the majority of life on Earth, the base of the food chain comprises photosynthetic organisms.
 During photosynthesis, CO2 is sequestered from the atmosphere, while oxygen is released as a byproduct. The
biosphere is a CO2 sink, and therefore, an important part of the carbon cycle.
Hydrosphere
 Dynamic mass of water that is continuously on the move
 Hydrosphere-the waters of the earth including ground water (beneath the surface), surface water (rivers,
streams, lakes, oceans), and water locked up as ice in the form of glaciers.
 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 Earth's water is fresh: two-thirds are in the form of ice, and the remaining one-third is present in
streams, lakes, and groundwater.
1. About 70% of the Earth is covered with liquid water (hydrosphere) and much of it is in the form of ocean
water.
2. Only 3% of Earth's water is fresh: two-thirds are in the form of ice, and the remaining one-third is present in
streams, lakes, and groundwater.
The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle
Condensation, Precipitation, Evaporation, Transpiration, Infiltration, Surface Runoff.
Cryosphere
 The cryosphere is the portion of the climatic system consisting of the world’s ice masses and snow deposits. The
cryosphere is the frozen part of the hydrosphere.
 This includes ice sheets, ice shelves, ice caps and glaciers, sea ice, seasonal snow cover, lake and river ice, and
seasonally frozen ground and permafrost
Atmosphere
 The atmosphere is the thin gaseous layer that envelopes the lithosphere.
 The present atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen (N), 21% oxygen (O2), 0.9% argon, and trace amount of
other gases.
 The atmosphere is the thin gaseous layer that envelopes the lithosphere.
 The present atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen (N), 21% oxygen (O2), 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 through
atmospheric circulation.
 There is also a constant exchange of heat and moisture between the atmosphere and the hydrosphere through
the hydrologic cycle.
Geosphere
 The Solid Earth that extends from the surface to the center
 The Geosphere contains all of the cold, hard solid land of the planet's crust (surface), the semi-solid land
underneath the crust, and the liquid land near the center of the planet.
Geosphere
The rock cycle is an important process in this system. During this process, igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks
are formed and destroyed. This is proof that Earth is a dynamic planet.
How do the 4 spheres interact?
Examples
• Humans (biosphere) built a dam out of rock materials (geosphere).
• Water in the lake (hydrosphere) seeps into the cliff walls behind the dam, becoming groundwater (geosphere), or
evaporating into the air (atmosphere).
• Humans (biosphere) harness energy from the water (hydrosphere) by having it spin turbines (geosphere) to produce
electricity.
WHY STUDY?
 Understanding the interactions that occur in the earth system also helps people to prepare for the effects of
natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions; this understanding allows people to predict things like how far and
in what direction the lava will flow.

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Earth and Earth Systems

 Systems can be classified as open, closed, or isolated.

 The earth system as a whole is a closed system.

 The Earth system is essentially a CLOSED SYSTEM.

Earth: Matter does not come and go

 Earth is a closed system to matter

So matter is constantly recycled on Earth.

 Closed thermos bottle is essentially an isolated system

 In nature, no part of the system exists in complete isolation.

Components or subsystems of the Earth system

 The biosphere is the set of all life forms on Earth.

 Dynamic mass of water that is continuously on the move

The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle

Condensation, Precipitation, Evaporation, Transpiration, Infiltration, Surface Runoff.

• Humans (biosphere) built a dam out of rock materials (geosphere).

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