Level : SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Subject Group : CORE SUBJECT Subject : EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE

Recognize the uniqueness of Earth, being

the only planet in the solar system with
properties necessary to support life.
Explain that the Earth consists of four
subsystems, across whose boundaries
matter and energy flow.
The Planets
 A. What’s in Our Solar System?

• Our solar system consists of a central star

(the Sun), planets, dwarf planets, moons,
asteroids, comets, meteors, interplanetary
gas, dust, and all the “space” in between.

• Except for Earth, the planets of the solar

system are named for Greek and Roman
gods and goddesses.
The Relative Size of the Planets in
the Solar System
 B. Planets are categorized
according to size and composition

– Small, rocky planets are the inner planets

closest to the sun
– gas giants are the outer planets
 Inner and Outer Planets
• Inner
Outer Planets:
Planets
– Jupiter
Mercury
– Saturn
Venus
– Uranus
Earth
– Neptune
Mars
1. Characteristics of Inner Planets

• They are made up mostly of rock and metal.

• They are very heavy.
• They move slowly in space.
• They have no rings and few moons (if any).
• They have a diameter of less than 13,000
km.
a. Mercury
• Has a revolution period of 88
days.
• Has 1000° temperature
swings from day to night
because there is no
atmosphere to trap heat.
• Is about 1/3 of Earth’s size
• Is about 1/3 Earth’s distance
from the sun (0.39 AU)
 b. Venus
• Has retrograde rotation – so
the sun rises in the west and
sets in the east!
• Reaches 900F at the surface
due to a strong greenhouse
effect.
• Venus has no moons and takes
225 days to complete an orbit.
• Is about the same size as
Earth
• Is about 2/3 Earth’s distance
from the sun (0.72 AU)
 c. Earth
• Is the only planet known to
support life!
• Has a surface composed of
71% water.
– Water is necessary for life on
Earth.
• Is the basis for the
Astronomical Unit (distance
from sun to Earth = 1 AU)
 d. Mars
• Mars appears red because of
iron oxide, or rust, in its soil.
• Mars has two moons and
takes about two years to
complete an orbit.
• Is about ½ of Earth’s size
• Is about 1 ½ times as far from
the sun as Earth (1.52 AU)
Earth Subsystems
Learning Competencies
The learners shall be able to explain that the
Earth consists of four subsystems, across whose
boundaries matter and energy flow
(S11/12ES-Ia-e-4) and

Specific Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lesson, the learners will be able to:
1. Define the concept of a system;
2. Recognize the Earth as a system composed of
subsystems; and
3. Discuss the historical development of the concept of
Earth System.
What on Earth?
What is the Earth system?
• A system is a group of related objects or parts
that work together to form a whole.

• The Earth system is all of the matter,

energy, and processes within Earth’s
boundary.

• Earth is a complex system made of living and

nonliving things, and matter and energy
continuously cycle through the smaller
systems.
Earth Systems Science studies the flow of
matter and energy in and out of the Earth’s
open systems, or Spheres.
 Earth Systems Overview
The Earth is a system
consisting of four
major interacting
components:
• the atmosphere,
• the biosphere,
• the hydrosphere,
and
• the geosphere
The Earth’s Four Spheres
(Geosphere)
 The Atmosphere
The Earth is surrounded by a blanket
of air, which we call the
atmosphere.
• The atmosphere consists of four
unique layers (the troposphere, the
stratosphere, the mesosphere, and
the thermosphere).
• The atmosphere reaches over 350
miles up from the surface of the
Earth.
• The atmosphere is primarily
composed of nitrogen (about 78%)
and oxygen (about 21%). Other
components exist in small
 Geosphere
The geosphere is the solid part of
the earth, from the core to the
surface.
• Includes volcanoes, rocks, minerals,
coal, oil etc.
• Mineral resources are mined from
the geosphere.
• The thin, outermost layer of the
geosphere is called the crust. It is
made mostly of silicate minerals.

• Oceanic crust is 5 to 10 km thick.

Continental crust is 35 to 70 km
thick.
 Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere contains all the water
found on our planet.
• Surface Water: Includes the ocean as
well as water from lakes, rivers and
creeks.
• Ground Water: Includes water trapped in
the soil and groundwater.
• Atmosphere: water vapor.
• Frozen water: Includes ice caps and
glaciers. Also called the cryosphere.
• Only about 3% of the water on Earth is
“fresh” water, and about 70% of the fresh
water is frozen in the form of glacial ice.
(0.9% in liquid form)
 The Biosphere
The biosphere is the “life zone” of the Earth, and
includes all living organisms (including humans), and all
organic matter that has not yet decomposed.
• The biosphere is structured into a hierarchy known as a
food chain.
• Energy and nutrients, like carbon, are transferred from
one level of the food chain to the next.
Using data from modern technology, scientists can create complex
representations of how the Earth “works”. These representations
of Earth processes are called models.

Tsunami Modeling Program

Tsunami Model
 What is a System?
System: A part of the Universe that can be
studied separately.
 Earth as a System
1. Name the four main earth systems.

2. Which branch of science studies the

interactions between these earth systems?

3. A forest fire would effect which earth

systems?
 Q&A
1. Name the four main earth systems.
Atmosphere, Biosphere, Hydrosphere and
Geosphere
2. Which branch of science studies the
interactions between these earth systems?
Earth System Science: Example is a scientist that
studies global warming.

3. A forest fire would effect which earth

systems?

All four: Fires (Biosphere) will destroy plant and animal life
while releasing smoke and other contaminants into the
atmosphere, hydrosphere and geosphere.

Tasks:
• Complete the Earth’s sphere worksheet.
 Advances in technology have allowed
scientists to study the Earth in a variety
of different ways.

Submersible Satellite
Seismometer
 Satellites and space
craft allow us to view, photograph
and map Earth from
Space.
Submersibles and ships allow us
to view, photograph and map the
ocean floor.
Buoys and other monitoring devices
provide us with data related to
events such as tsunamis and
earthquakes.
 Powerful computer programs called GIS
(Geographic Information Systems) help
scientists organize, layer and interpret huge
amounts of data in order to study how the
Earth changes over time.
What’s the Matter?
How do Earth’s spheres interact?
• All of the five spheres of Earth interact as matter and
energy change and cycle through the system.

• A result of these interactions is that they make life on

Earth possible.
• Earth’s spheres interact as matter moves between
them. In some processes, matter moves through
several spheres.

• Earth’s spheres also interact as energy moves from one

sphere to another, and back and forth between
spheres.
How do Earth’s spheres interact?
• How many parts of the Earth system can you
identify in this image? How do they interact?
Earth System
Science is the study
of how the Earth
four System Science
spheres of the Earth
system interact
continually, each
affecting the others.
Example: A
scientist that
studies global
warming is an
Earth System
Scientist.
 Volcanoes erupt, sending ash and
gases into the air and sending
System Interactions
lava and ash down onto
surrounding forests and human
habitations.

Geosphere

Atmosphere Biosphere
 Hurricanes sweep across the
ocean and onto the land,
System Interactions
damaging the dwellings of people
who live along the coast.

Hydrosphere

Atmosphere Geosphere

Biosphere
Earthquakes can damage buildings which
System Interactions
may kill people, as well as cause fires which
release gases into the air. Earthquakes in
the ocean may cause a tsunami which can
eventually hit land and kill both animals
and people.

Biosphere

Geosphere Atmosphere

Hydrosphere
Single event example: meteorite impact that
causes massive global extinction
 Cycles and the Earth
A Cycle is a series of steps that repeats.
Some cycles (water cycle) repeat over
relatively short periods of time, while others
repeat over millions of years (tectonic cycle).

On Earth, the water cycle, energy cycle, carbon

cycle, tectonic cycle and rock cycle “work”
together to maintain a dynamic planet.
 Cloud diagram.
• Each group will make a poster showing
the TEN different cloud types.

• Should include a picture (using color) of

the cloud, the height the clouds form, and
the type of weather involved.

• Be neat! Be creative!
– Sloppy work = reduced grade.
The Water Cycle
 The Carbon Cycle
• Biogeochemical cycle- compound is
changed and moved throughout the
Earth’s spheres

• Carbon is commonly called the

“building block of life”

• Carbon is not just a solid- it forms

gases such as CO2 and Methane
The Carbon Cycle
 Carbon Into the Atmosphere
• Living things breathe it out

• Carbon based things (i.e. trees) burn

• Diffuses out of oceans

• Volcanoes erupt– Number 1 source of

CO2 into the atmosphere
Balancing the Budget
What is the source of Earth’s energy?
• Almost all of Earth’s energy comes from the sun.

• A tiny fraction of Earth’s energy comes from ocean

tides and geothermal sources such as lava and
magma.
• Energy is transferred between Earth’s spheres, but
it is not created or destroyed.

• Any addition of energy to one sphere must be

balanced by an equal subtraction of energy from
another sphere.

• The movement of energy through Earth’s system

forms an energy budget.
What is the source of Earth’s energy?
• Trace the flow of energy through Earth’s system.
What is the source of Earth’s energy?
• When Earth’s energy flow is balanced, global
temperatures stay relatively stable over long
periods of time.

• Sometimes, changes in the system cause Earth’s

energy budget to become unbalanced.
What can disturb Earth’s energy
budget?
• An increase in greenhouse gases traps more
energy in the atmosphere and decreases the
amount of energy radiated out to space.

• Polar ice and glaciers reflect sunlight. When the

ice melts, the exposed water and land absorb and
then radiate more energy than the ice did.

• In each case, Earth’s atmosphere becomes

warmer, which may lead to climate changes.
 The Energy Cycle (Energy
Budget)
• Water and carbon
Cycles are like wheels

• Energy Cycle is like a

balance
– Energy that comes in
must equal the energy
that comes out
What would happen if
the Earth’s energy
budget was not
balanced?
Scenario #1

• Too much energy

enters the Earth
system and not
enough leaves…
Scenario #2

• Too much energy

leaves the Earth
system and not
enough enters…
 Sources of Earth’s Energy

1. Solar energy- 99.895 %

2. Geothermal energy- 0.013 %

3. Tidal energy- 0.002 %

Energy Budget (Cycle)
Energy Budget (Cycle)
• about 40% is reflected back into
space without being changed
• the remaining energy is used within
the Earth system
• as it moves through the system, it is
changed. With every change, a little is
lost to the system.
 The Effects of Earth’s Surface
• Albedo is the percentage of energy that is
reflected back into space without being
changed
• Earth’s average albedo: 30%
• Forest has low albedo: 5-10%
• Desert has high albedo: 50%
• Fresh snow: 80-90%
How do we
impact the
Earth?
 And, finally, simply to
understand the nature of our own
back yard.
• Humans can alter the albedo of an area,
which affects the Earth’s energy budget

• We can burn fossil fuels which puts CO2 in

the air, or plant trees, which takes CO2 out
of the air

• Damming a river lengthens the amount of

time it takes water to go through the water
cycle
 THANK YOU
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