EARTH AND IT’S

NEIGHBORING

PLANETS

The humanity’s failure to protect the

environment and life here on Earth is likely

due to the following:

SYSTEM
1. Inability to recognize the full consequence
- A set of interconnected components that are
of his/her actions
interacting to form a unified whole.
2. Lack of appreciation of how truly unique

the Earth is

ATMOSPHERE

A. The atmosphere is the thin gaseous layer that

envelops the
lithosphere.

B. The present
atmosphere is
composed of 78%

nitrogen (N), 21%

oxygen (O2), 0.9%
argon, and trace
amount of other
gases.

C. One of the
most important
processes by
EARTH SUBSYSTEM which the heat on the Earth's surface is
redistributed is through atmospheric groundwater.
circulation.

D. There is also a constant exchange of heat and

THE ORIGIN OF THE
moisture between the atmosphere and the
SYSTEMS APPROACH TO
hydrosphere through the hydrologic cycle.
THE STUDY OF THE

EARTH
LITHOSPHERE

A. The lithosphere includes the rocks of the

Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von
crust and mantle, the metallic liquid outer Humboldt

core, and the solid metallic inner core. -He considered the universe as one interacting
entity.
BIOSPHERE
-One of the first scientist to push for a more
A. The biosphere is the set of all life forms on
integrated or holistic approach in the
Earth. understanding of the universe and by extension
the Earth
B. It covers all ecosystems—from the soil to the

rainforest, from mangroves to coral reefs, and

The term "biosphere" was popularized
from the plankton-rich ocean surface to the
deep sea. by Vladimir Vernadsky (1863-1945),

C. For the majority of life on Earth, the a Russian -Ukranian scientist who

base of the food chain comprises hypothesized that life is a geological

photosynthetic organisms. force that shapes the Earth.

D. Sunlight is not necessary for life.

HYDROSPHERE In the 1970s, the Gaia Hypothesis was jointly

A. About 70% of the Earth is covered developed by James Lovelock, an English

with liquid water (hydrosphere) and scientist/naturalist, and Lynn Margulis, an

much of it is in the form of ocean water American microbiologist. According to Gaia

(Figure 3). Hypothesis the biosphere is a self-regulating

B. Only 3% of Earth's water is fresh: two-thirds system that is capable of controlling its physical

are in the form of ice, and the remaining and chemical environment.

one-third is present in streams, lakes, and

 MINERALS AND ROCKS -The form reflects the supposedly internal
structure (of atoms and ions) of the crystal
MINERAL PROPERTIES
(mineral). It is the natural shape of the mineral
1. Luster – it is the quality and intensity of before the development of any cleavage or
reflected light exhibited by the mineral fracture.

a. Metallic – generally opaque and exhibit a Examples include prismatic, tabular, bladed,
resplendent shine similar to a polished metal platy, reniform and equant.

b. Non-metallic – vitreous (glassy), adamantine -A mineral that do not have a crystal structure is
(brilliant/diamond-like), resinous, silky, pearly, described as amorphous.
dull (earthy), greasy, among others.

2. Hardness – it is a measure of the resistance

4. Color and streak
of a mineral (not specifically surface) to
abrasion. -Minerals can exhibit same or similar colors.
Individual minerals can also display a variety of
a. The Mohs Scale of Hardness measures the
colors resulting from impurities and also from
scratch resistance of various minerals from a
some geologic processes like weathering.
scale of 1 to 10, based on the ability of a harder
material/mineral to scratch a softer one. Examples of coloring: quartz can be pink (rose
quartz), purple (amethyst), orange (citrine),
white (colorless quartz)
3. Crystal Form/Habit
-Streak, on the other hand, is the mineral’s
-The external shape of a crystal or groups of color in powdered form.
crystals is displayed / observed as these crystals
-Color of a mineral can be different from its
grow in open spaces.
streak.
Examples of streak: pyrite (FeS2) exhibits gold abundant elements in the Earth’s crust, namely,
color but has a black or dark gray streak.
silicon and oxygen.
5. Cleavage – the property of some minerals to
a. When linked together, these two elements
break along specific planes of weakness to form
form the silicon oxygen tetrahedron – the
smooth, flat surfaces. The weak plane that
fundamental building block of silicate minerals.
developed after the crystal is formed.
b. Over 90% of rock-forming minerals belong to
this group.
-When minerals break evenly in more than one
2. Oxides – minerals composed of oxygen anion
direction, cleavage is described by the number
of cleavage directions, the angle(s) at which (O2-) combined with one or more metal ions
they meet, and the quality of cleavage (e.g.
cleavage in 2 directions at 90°). 3. Sulfates – minerals containing sulfur and
oxygen in the form of the (SO4)- anion

4. Sulfides – minerals containing sulfur and a

metal; some sulfides are sources of
economically important metals such as copper,
lead, and zinc.

5. Carbonates – minerals containing the

carbonate (CO3)2- anion combined with other
elements

6. Native Elements – minerals that form as

individual elements
Specific Gravity – the ratio of the density of the
a. Metals and Intermetals – minerals with high
mineral and the density of water.
thermal and electrical conductivity, typically
-Others – magnetism, odor, taste, tenacity, with metallic luster, low hardness (gold, lead)
reaction to acid, etc. For example, magnetite is
b. Semi-metals – minerals that are more fragile
strongly magnetic; sulfur has distinctive smell;
than metals and have lower conductivity
halite is salty; calcite fizzes with acid as with
(arsenic, bismuth)
dolomite but in powdered form; etc.
c. Nonmetals – nonconductive (sulfur,
diamond)
- Minerals can also be categorized.
7. Halides – minerals containing halogen
- The most stable and least ambiguous elements combined with one or more metals

basis for classification of minerals is

based on their chemical compositions.

1. Silicates – minerals containing the two most

 Sedimentary Rocks

-These are rocks that formed through the

accumulation, compaction, and cementation of

sediments.

-They generally form at surface or near surface

conditions.
Rock-forming minerals are essential for the
classification of rocks such as igneous, Types of Sedimentary Rocks
sedimentary, or metamorphic rocks.
1. Non-clastic / Chemical/Biochemical –

derived from sediments that precipitated from

concentrated solutions (e.g. seawater) or from
the accumulation of biologic or organic material
(e.g. shells, plant material).
CLASSIFICATION OF ROCKS
2. Clastic/terrigenous - form from the
Igneous Rocks
accumulation and lithification of sediments
-rocks that are formed from the solidification of
derived from the breakdown of pre-existing
molten rock material (magma or lava).
rocks. They are further classified according to
-Molten rock material can solidify below the
surface of the earth (plutonic igneous rocks) or dominant grain size.
at the surface of the Earth (volcanic igneous
rocks). Metamorphic Rocks

Question: Differentiate magma and lava. -Rocks that form from the transformation of

pre-existing rocks (igneous, sedimentary, or

metamorphic rocks) through the process of

metamorphism.

Contact metamorphism

• Heat as the main factor: occurs when a pre-

existing rocks get in contact with a heat source
(magma)

Regional metamorphism

-Pressure as main factor: occurs in areas that

have undergone deformation during orogenic
event resulting in mountain belts

-Creates foliated metamorphic rocks such as

schist and gneiss
 -Most non-renewable energy sources are fossil
fuels: coal, petroleum, and natural gas

FOSSIL FUEL

-Fossil fuel is a natural fuel such as coal or gas,

formed in the geological past from the remains
of living organisms

-Fossil fuel, any of a class of hydrocarbon-

containing materials of biological origin
occurring within Earth’s crust that can be used
as a source of energy

-Fossil fuels include coal, petroleum, natural

gas, oil shales, bitumens, tar sands, and heavy
EARTH MATERIALS AND PROCESSES oils

ENERGY RESOURCES

ENERGY RESOURCE

-is a natural resource that can be converted by

humans into other forms of energy in order to
do useful work

Fuel is burned in machinery to create motion

(such as in a car) or heat (such as in a home

heating system)

TWO TYPES OF RESOURCES

I. Non-renewable

II. Renewable

NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES

-A non-renewable resource is a natural resource

that cannot be readily replaced by natural
means at a quick enough pace to keep up with
consumption
RENEWABLE RESOURCES
-Non-renewable resources are used faster than
they can be replaced, so the supply available to -A renewable resource is a natural resource
society is limited which will replenish to replace the portion
depleted by usage and consumption, either
through natural reproduction or other recurring
processes in a finite amount of time in a human
time scale

-Renewable energy resources include solar,

water, wind, biomass, and geothermal

HYDROELECTRIC RESOURCES

-Hydroelectric power, also called hydropower,

electricity produced from generators driven by
turbines that convert the potential energy of
falling or fast-flowing water into mechanical
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
energy
-Geothermal energy is a form of energy
conversion in which heat energy from within
Earth is captured and harnessed for cooking,
bathing, space heating, electrical power
generation, and other uses

-Heat from Earth’s interior generates surface

phenomena such as lava flows, geysers,
fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pots are
examples of geothermal energy

WATER RESOURCES

WATER RESOURCES

-Water resources are natural resources of water

that are potentially useful.

-Uses of water include agricultural, industrial,

household, recreational and environmental
activities

-All living things require water to grow and

reproduce

-Water resources helps to regulate climate, it

shapes earth's surface

-Water bodies are habitat for humans, animals,

plants and marine animals
-Water is very important for agriculture, -They provide the physical base to support the
cleaning, cooking food and various activities productivity and cycling of biological resources,
provide the source of nutrients and water for
WATER RESOURCES
agricultural and forestry systems and fulfil a
-Salt Water (97%) complex buffering role against environmental
variability (ranging from dampening diurnal and
-Ice (2.06%) seasonal change in temperature and water
-Groundwater (0.9%) supply to the storage and binding of a range of
chemical and biological agents)
-Lakes (0.008%)

-Wetlands (0.001%)
-Soil is as important as water as a resource.
-Rivers (0.0002%)
-It is a complex mixture of organic and mineral
content which is constantly being formed by the
weathering of rocks

ACTIVITIES AFFECTING THE QUALITY AND

AVAILABILITY OF WATER HUMAN ACTIVITIES AFFECTING THE QUALITY
1. Population growth, particularly in water short AND QUANTITY OF SOIL
regions I. Farming
2. Demands for greater food security and higher II. Construction and Development
living standards III. Mining
3. Increased competition between different HUMAN ACTIVITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
uses of water resources
HUMAN INTERFERENCE IN NATURE
4. Pollution from factories, cities and farmland.
-As the rate of the population keeps increasing
day by day, we move nearer towards global
Degradation of ecosystem is one of the serious extinction.
threats, which occur due to changes in -Since more population means more land and
landscapes, deforestation, conversion of natural more land means more destruction. Humans
landscapes into farm or residential areas, urban are known for their greedy and careless nature.
growth, road-building, and surface mining
-To fulfil their needs they’d go to any extent
SOIL RESOURCES causing very harmful environmental effects.

SOIL RESOURCES Humans impact the environment in several

-Soil resources form a fundamental part of the ways.
environment. Common effects include decreased water
quality, increased pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions, depletion of natural resources and
contribution to global climate change.

BAD EFFECTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES

I. Water Pollution

II. Air Pollution

III. Climate Change