STEM EARTH SCIENCE

• Water


  One of the important ingredients in the different biological processes. Absence of this will interfere reactions necessary for life. Solid form (ice) in the two poles and liquid along the equator which allows living organisms to consume it.
• Atmosphere


  • Provides significant insulation or shielding from the sun and impact of small to medium size meteorites
  • Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) trap heat and protects our planet from freezing
  • Ozone (O3) layer shields the Earth's surface from harmful UV radiation
  • Provides chemicals needed for life, such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide
• The size of the planet and its distance from the sun affects its ability to hold significant amount of atmosphere. Earth has a right size and distance from the sun that permits it to have a right amount of atmosphere. The presence of gravity also helps in sustaining its atmosphere.
• Energy


  Earth has available energy- rich sunlight to support life. Living organisms like plants and photosynthetic bacteria use light as the source of their energy. Some chemosynthetic organisms rely on chemical energy to support various biological processes.
• Earth has been existing 4.543 billion years. In its early formation, life was not possible because the environment did not permit it. However, as time went by, life flourished from microorganisms into a more complex organism.
• Atmosphere


  • Provides significant insulation or shielding from the sun and impact of small to medium size meteorites
  • Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) trap heat and protects our planet from freezing
  • Ozone (O3) layer shields the Earth's surface from harmful UV radiation
  • Provides chemicals needed for life, such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide
• Size of the planet

  Affects its ability to hold significant amount of atmosphere
• Distance from the sun

  Affects its ability to hold significant amount of atmosphere
• Gravity


  Helps in sustaining Earth's atmosphere
• Sunlight


  Earth has available energy-rich sunlight to support life
• Plants and photosynthetic bacteria

  Use light as the source of their energy
• Chemosynthetic organisms


  Rely on chemical energy to support various biological processes
• Earth is at right position from the sun that enables it to harness enough amount of sunlight
• Nutrients


  Essential factor used to build and maintain organism's body structure<|>Insufficient or absence of nutrients can impede synthesis of the different biological molecules
• Nutrient recycling processes on Earth

  1. Water cycle

  2. Carbon and oxygen cycle

  3. Phosphate cycle

  4. Nitrogen cycle

  5. Volcanism
• Low temperature slows down chemical reactions among living organisms
• Atmosphere provides chemicals needed for life
• Gravity affects the Earth's atmosphere
• Water traps heat from the sun
• Size and distance from the sun affect the planet's ability to hold atmosphere
• Absence of water interferes reactions necessary for life
• Earth can provide enough amount of sunlight as source of energy of most organisms
• Insufficient or absence of nutrients can hinder different biological processes
• Volcanism helps in nutrient recycling
• Atmosphere protects Earth from small to medium size meteorite impacts