Download EE I Chapter 2 The Dynamic Earth

The Earth consists of Rock, water air and living things that all interact
with each other
Biosphere
Geosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
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The Geosphere consists of all rock (solid and
liquid) as well as the soils ON THE Earth’s
surface
Most of the Geosphere is located in the earths
interior.
It is 12756 km from one side of the geosphere to
the other if you go through the center of the
Earth.
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Crust – Outermost layer
made of lightweight
materials
Mantle – The in-between
layer made up of dense
iron rich materials
Core – The inner most
layer composed of dense
iron and nickle
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Lithosphere – Cool outermost layer divided
into tectonic plates
Asthenosphere – A pliable solid layer (much
like warm plastic) that flows very slowly
Mesosphere – The middle layer
Outer Core – Outer shell of the Earths core
(liquid)
Inner Core – 4,000 to 5,400 degrees Celsius
and solid due to the emormous pressure that
is being applied to it. (this creates the Earths
magnetic Field that protects us from charged
particles being produced by the Sun.
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The lithosphere is divided into pieces called
plate tectonics that glide across the
asthenosphere like ice on a pond.
Some major plates are:
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North American Plate
South American Plate
African Plate
Eurasian Plate
Much of the geologic activity at the surface of the Earth
takes place at these plate boundaries. This is due to
plates colliding and slipping past on another.
Examples:
Volcaoes
Earthquakes
Mountain Building
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Global Effects:
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Can propel ash and sulfur rich
gases into the upper atmosphere.
 This can block out sunlight and
lower global temperatures
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On the Earths Surface Rocks are altered by
other forces:
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Weathering (chemical and Mechanical) – wearing
down of rocks over time.
Erosion (wind and water) – the transportation of
materials from one area to another
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A mixture of Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide
and other gases that surrounds the Earth
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The atmosphere is in flux as gases are being
added and removed constantly by living and
nonliving factors
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78% Nitrogen from
Volcanoes and organic
decay
21% Oxygen from
photosynthesis
Trace amounts of
Carbon Dioxide, Argon,
Methane, Water Vapor
and a variety of others
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The atmosphere is pulled to the Earth by
gravity
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The higher you go into the atmosphere the less
dense the air becomes. Most of the molecules are
within 30km of the Earths surface
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Joe Kittinger
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4 Atmospheric layers based on temperature
change.
Thermosphere (Highest)
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere
(Lowest)
The atmosphere becomes less dense the
farther you travel from Earth.
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Troposphere
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Lowest level
Most dense
Where most weather occures
Where most life exists
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Stratosphere
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Above the troposphere
Ozone Layer is present
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Mesosphere
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Above the
stratosphere
Coldest
Layer
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Thermosphere
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The highest layer
The least dense layer
Hottest Layer (but you wouldn’t know it)
Auroras take place here in an area of the
thermosphere called the ionosphere
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Energy from the sun is transferred through the
atmosphere in 3 ways:
Radiation
 Conduction
 Convection
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Radiation - the transfere of energy as
electromagnetic waves
Conduction – the movement of energy in the form of
heat when two things are placed in direct contact
with each other
Convection – the movement of matter due to
differences in density
that are caused by
temperature
variations; can
result in the
transfer of energy
in the form of
heat
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Some of the gases in our atmosphere
(greenhouse gases) can trap heat. Some of the
most abundant of these are water vapor,
carbon dioxide and methane.
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Linked to Climate change
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Needed for life to exist on Earth
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Water cycle:
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Consists of three major processes:
 Evaporation
 Condensation
 Precipitation
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Earth’s Oceans – 70%
of the Earth is covered
by 1 interconnected
“world ocean”
More than 70% of Earth is covered in water.
 97% of it is Salt water
and 3% Fresh water
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2/3 or 66% of Freshwater is in our ice caps.
As our ice caps melt
our freshwater
decreases and our
saltwater increases.
Surface water –
ponds, lakes, and
streams
Groundwater aquifers
Surface Zone – Warm top layer
Thermocline – water in this layer drops faster
with increased depth then other zones
Deep Zone – Temperature in this zone averages 2
degrees Celsius.
The Ocean as a
Temperature Moderator
One of the most
important functions of
the ocean is to absorb
and store energy from
sunlight and regulate the
temperature of the
Earths atmosphere
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Anywhere
that life can
and is
supported.
It is 20 km
thick
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Lithosphere interacts with the Hydrosphere
when toxins from a factory run off into a water
system and poison fish in a body of water
Hydrosphere interacts with the Atmosphere
when water evaporates and forms clouds
Atmosphere interacts with the Lithosphere
when acid rain falls and dissolves limestone
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This grouped ecosystem services into four
broad categories:
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Provisioning - such as the production of food and
water
Regulating - such as the control of climate and
disease
Supporting - such as nutrient cycles and
crop pollination
Cultural - such as spiritual and recreational
benefits.