Spheres Interactions

Earth as a
System
The Water Cycle
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.
Earth Systems Science studies the
flow of matter and energy in and
out of the Earth’s open systems, or
Spheres.
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.
The
Solar System
Example: Respiratory
System
Two Types of Systems
1. Closed System: Energy may enter and

leave, but matter does not.
(examples?)
2. Open System: System and its

surroundings freely exchange both
matter and energy. (examples?)
What is the Earth? Take time to fill

out your Venn Diagram and
The Earth’s Four
Spheres
(Geosphere)
Earth Systems Science studies the
flow of matter and energy in and
out of the Earth’s open systems, or
Spheres.
Matter and energy move
back and forth between the
different Earth spheres,
and the different spheres
interact every day, all
around you.
What spheres are
interacting here?
Earthquakes
Tornadoes
Tornado path
Mining Minerals
Oil Exploration
Interactions among the Earth’s
spheres change the spheres to
differing degrees.
These impacts can be single events,
temporary changes, or ongoing change.
Single event example: meteorite
impact that causes massive global
extinction
Ongoing, steady process (example:
Erosion)
Cycles and the Earth
Cycle is a series of steps that repeat
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
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 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
Carbon From the
Atmosphere
• Oceans dissolve 40% of CO2 in the
atmosphere from fossil fuels
• Wave action dissolves CO2 into ocean
• Photosynthesis- plants breathe it in,

and breathe out oxygen
(phytoplankton do this in ocean water)
Other ways CO2 is
shared…
• Carbon stored in plants is
passed on to another organism
when eaten (food chain)
• Organisms die and

decomposition puts carbon into
the ground creating fossil fuels
(oil, coal, etc.)
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 %

Solar Energy
• Comes from nuclear fusion
reactions in the sun
• Drives wind, ocean currents, waves
• Source of energy that causes rocks

to weather forming soil
Geothermal Energy
• Comes from the Earth as
radioactive materials decompose
• Drives the movement of the

continents, powers geysers,
earthquakes, and volcanoes
Tidal Energy
• The result of the pull of the
moon on the Earth’s oceans
• Slows down Earth’s rotation

and causes the oceans to
bulge
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 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?
• 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
Why Study Earth
Science?
1.Resources, Economics
2.Hazards
3.Human sustainability
4.Engineering
5.Military
6.Pure Science and Understanding

“Earth Science informs all other
sciences”
The Earth Sciences
Astronomy Oceanography
Physics Biology
Geology
Meteorology Hydrology
Chemistry
And, finally, simply to
understand the nature of
our own back yard.

Spheres Interactions

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Earth as a

Tsunami Modeling Program

1. Closed System: Energy may enter and

2. Open System: System and its

What is the Earth? Take time to fill

On Earth, the water cycle, energy cycle,

• Should include a picture (using color) of the

• Carbon is commonly called the

• Carbon is not just a solid- it forms

• Carbon based things (i.e. trees)

• Diffuses out of oceans

• Volcanoes erupt– Number 1 source

• Wave action dissolves CO2 into ocean

• Photosynthesis- plants breathe it in,

• Organisms die and

• Energy Cycle is like

2. Geothermal energy- 0.013

3. Tidal energy- 0.002 %

• Drives wind, ocean currents, waves

• Source of energy that causes rocks

• Drives the movement of the

• Slows down Earth’s rotation

• We can burn fossil fuels which puts

• Damming a river lengthens the

6.Pure Science and Understanding

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