Earth Subsytem

• Subsytem - Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Biosphere

  Compositional Layer - Crust, Mantle, Core
• System - A set of interconnected components that are interacting to form a unified whole.
• Water cycle - Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Collection, Infiltration, Runoff
• The present atmosphere is composed of 78% Nitrogen (N), 21% Oxygen (0), 0.9% Argon (Ar) and trace amount of other gases.
• Troposphere • First layer, lying closest to the Earth's surface which extends about 8-16 km above Earth • Thickness varies with altitude (least at the poles and greatest at the equator) • "weather zone"
• -Stratosphere

  • The layer above the troposphere extending up to 50 km high

  
  

  • Where the ozone layer is found

  
  

  Ozone layer - absorbs UV radiation from the sun.
• Mesosphere • Temperatures tend to drop with increased altitude.

  
  

  • Acts as a layer for meteors to burn.

  
  

  Thermosphere

  • Temperatures increase until they approach 1100 C at noon

  
  

  • The air is so thin that there is practically a vacuum and little heat can be transferred

  Thermosphere

  • Temperatures increase until they approach 1100 C at noon

  
  

  • The air is so thin that there is practically a vacuum and little heat can be transferred
• Exosphere This is the outermost layer of the atmosphere. In this layer, atoms and molecules escape into space and satellites orbit the earth.
• Hydro means Water Hydrosphere can be in form of liquid, vapor and ice such as glaciers, ice caps and ice bergs. This frozen part is called Cryosphere. • About 71% of Earth is covered with liquid water (Hydrosphere) and much of it is in the form of ocean water.
• It is believe that at the beginning of the Earth, the continents are all locked up into huge landmass called Pangea as proposed by Alfred Wegener.
• Composed of all Living Things. It is sometimes referred to as the "zone of life"
• The term "Biosphere" was coined by Geologist Edward Suess 1875.