Download The Lithosphere

The Lithosphere
Ooooh! Exciting 
The Four Spheres
Strahler, A. and
Strahler, A., 2005.
Physical Geography.
Wiley, NY.
The Lithosphere

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageearth/animations/hellscrus
t/index.html
The earth is composed of 3 parts
1. The core
2. The mantle
3. The crust


The Lithosphere is the hard shell of the earth consisting
of the crust and the top most part of the mantle
The Lithosphere

Parts of the earth
Similarities with an Apple
The Lithosphere

The Lithosphere contains minerals and rocks that
we use for buildings, metals and jewellery.
Minerals




Minerals are inorganic ( they do not originate from
neither plants nor animals)
Minerals must exist naturally on earth; they cannot be
manufactured
Minerals have a clearly ordered structure
Minerals are distinct in their chemical composition


Some minerals are made up of one element ex: gold (Au),
copper (Cu)
Some minerals are made up of 2 or more elements bonded
together ex: Quartz (Si O2)
Classification – Color and Transparency





Idiochromatic minerals are minerals that have a
characteristic colour. The element that gives them their
colour is part of their chemical composition
Minerals that vary in color are allochromatic
Minerals can allow light to pass through, some straight
through= transparent.
Some let some light through= translucent
Allowing no rays of light through= opaque
Hardness


Hardness depends on the strength of the atomic bonds in
the minerals
Mohs scale assigns a value from 1-10 to indicate its
hardness
Streak

When rubbed minerals leave a trace of powder

The color may be different from that of the mineral

Idiochromatic leave bright colored powder

Allochromatic leave a white/pale powder
Types of Rocks

There are three main types of rocks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqy-p41VpKU&feature=related
1.
Igneous - formed when molten rock cools.
2.
Sedimentary – formed by the “cementing together” of small
grains of sediment.
3.
Metamorphic – rocks changed by the effect of heat and
pressure.
Igneous Rocks

These are rocks formed by the cooling of molten
rock (magma.)
Magma
cools and
solidifies
forming
igneous
rocks
volcano
magma
Igneous Rocks

1)
There are 2 types of Igneous rock
Extrusive Igneous Rocks: Rock forming from Magma
upon contact with air
2) Intrusive Igneous Rocks: Rock forming from Magma
before reaching the surface of the earth
Sedimentary Rocks

Getting older
Sedimentary Rocks are rocks formed
when particles of sediment build up
and are “cemented together” by the
effect of pressure and minerals.
Fragments washed to the sea
Rocks are broken
up by the action
of weather
sea
Sedimentary
rocks
Metamorphic Rocks


Metamorphic rocks are formed by the effect of heat
and pressure on existing rocks.
This can greatly affect the hardness, texture or layer
patterns of the rocks.
Pressure from surface
rocks
metamorphic
rock
Magma
heat
forming
here
Uses of Rocks
Rock
Type
Possible Uses
Granite
Intrusive Igneous
Ornamental Stone
(Kitchen)
Diorite
Intrusive Igneous
Ornamental Stone
Pumice
Extrusive Igneous
Light building materials,
cosmetic industry
Basalt
Extrusive Igneous
Insulation, floor tiles
Sandstone
Sedimentary
Building materials
Limestone
Sedimentary
Cement, building materials
Gneiss
Metamorphic
Building materials
Marble
Metamorphic
Interior design
How Granite is made?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z66fR9p4Lgc
How curling stones are made
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxrt3fjp4t0
Soil
Soil

Soil is from parent rock

It takes 200 years to form a layer of soil...1cm thick!

Soil forms distinct layers over time.

Layers can be distinguished by color, texture and
composition

The layers are called HORIZONS
O horizon – Organic Matter


Topmost layer
High % of dead organic matter.


Ie: leaves, stems, fruits, seeds, pine needles
Formed from decomposition
of organic matter. (humus)
A horizon - Topsoil



Seeds germinate and plant roots grow in this darkcolored layer.
It is made up of humus (decomposed organic matter)
mixed with mineral particles.
Mixture of soil from below
and the humus above.
B horizon - Subsoil




Trees with deep roots draw nutrients from this layer
It is made up mostly of sand and silt, having lost
most of its minerals and clay as water drips through
the soil.
Leached from layers above
Clay and many minerals
 Iron
 Aluminum
 Calcium
C horizon – Fragmented Parent Rock



Can be saturated in groundwater
Formed through the disintegration of the underlying
parent rock.
It consists of slightly broken-up bedrock.
R Horizon – Unaltered Parent Rock

Plant roots do not penetrate into this layer. Starting point
for soil formation
Soil Conditions

Three conditions must be met for soil to be suitable for
plant life to form:



Water soluble nutrients
Adequate moisture
Appropriate soil pH

Soil to acidic or alkaline jeopardizes the transfer of mineral nutrients
Permafrost

Ground whose temperature has been 0o or lower for at
least two years.
Permafrost

The upper layer thaws in the summer and some growing
occurs, this layer is the active layer

Permafrost makes construction difficult and agriculture
nearly impossible

Inuit people build their homes on piles that pass through
the active layer and sit directly on the permafrost
Texture and pH
Soil Texture

Soil texture is the single most
important physical property of the soil.
Knowing the soil texture alone will
provide information about:
1) water flow potential,
2) water holding capacity,
3) fertility potential,
4) suitability for many urban
uses like bearing capacity
To determine texture



The Percent of sand,
silt, clay in a soil
sample
Critical for
understanding soil
behavior and
management
Soil texture is not
subject to change in
the field but can be
changed in potting
mixes.
Buffering Capacity



pH is measured on a scale of 0 (very acidic)-14(very
alkaline)
Soil should ideally be between 6-7 to allow for maximum
nutrient absorption
Soil has the ability to resist pH changes, when acidic or
alkaline compounds are added this is it`s
BUFFERING CAPACITY
Energy Resources in the
Lithosphere
Energy Resources in The Lithosphere

The lithosphere contains energy resources




Oil
Natural Gas
Coal
Thanks to these resources, we can heat buildings, power
factories and car engines
Fossil Fuels

2/3 of the world’s energy is is produced from fossil fuels
(oil, natural gas and coal)

http://www.brainpop.com/science/ourfragileenvironment/fossilfuels/

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/6187-energy-what-are-fossil-fuels-video.htm
Formation of
Oil & Natural
Gas
•Oil
comes from Small
Marine Mammals and
algae
•Organisms
sink to the
bottom where they are
covered in sand, rocks
and minerals
•Due
to the pressure
the sediment is turned
into oil
Formation of Coal
•Oil
comes from plants and trees that once grew in swamps
•Over
•The
time these swamps were buried under sand and rock
organic residue was compressed and it turned into coal
•Coal
is a solid
Fossil Fuels



When fossil fuels burn they give off by- products like
carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas behind global
warming
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are also by-products of
the combustion of fossil fuels and cause acid rain
Energy Resources: Uranium


Uranium is a radioactive element that is found naturally in
the earth’s crust
By splitting the nucleus of the Uranium atom energy is
produced called NUCLEAR ENERGY
Pros to Nuclear Energy


Little waste produced
A lot of energy can be produced with very little uranium
Cons to Nuclear Energy


No where to store it
It’s radioactive (waste)... That it can alter DNA
Energy Resources: Geothermic
•
•

Molten Rock is found beneath the Earth’s crust which contains
lots of energy
Geothermal Energy is the energy that comes from the internal
heat of the earth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ajqiPe_9Ko&feature=related
How does it work?




Series of pipes under house
Heat absorbing liquid in
pipes
When it’s cold in the air,
heat will be transported to
house from pipes
(underground)
When it’s hot in the house,
heat will be transported to
the pipes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ajqiPe_9Ko&feature=related
Geothermal Pros and Cons

Pros



Reduce heating costs
Reduce CO 2 emissions
Renewable energy source

Cons

Expensive