1. 4 subsystem of earth.

Everything in Earth's system can be placed into one of four major subsystems:
land, water, living things, or air. These four subsystems are called 'spheres.'
Specifically, they are the "lithosphere" (land), "hydrosphere" (water), "biosphere" (living
things), and "atmosphere" (air). Each of these four spheres can be further divided into
sub-spheres. To keep things simple in this module, there will be no distinction among the
sub-spheres of any of the four major spheres.
Lithosphere
The lithosphere contains all of the cold, hard solid land of the planet's crust, the semi-
solid land underneath the crust, and the liquid land near the center of the planet. *The
The surface of the lithosphere is very uneven. There are high mountain ranges like the
Rockies and Andes, huge plains or flat areas like those in Texas, Iowa, and Brazil
(shown in green), and deep valleys along the ocean floor (shown in blue).

The solid, semi-solid, and liquid land of the lithosphere form layers that are physically
and chemically different. If someone were to cut through Earth to its center, these layers
would be revealed like the layers of an onion. The outermost layer of the lithosphere
consists of loose soil rich in nutrients, oxygen, and silicon. Beneath that layer lies a very
thin, solid crust of oxygen and silicon. Next is a thick, semi-solid mantle of oxygen,
silicon, iron, and magnesium. Below that is a liquid outer core of nickel and iron. At the
The center of the Earth is a solid inner core of nickel and iron.

Note: The word 'lithosphere' can take on different meanings depending on the speaker.
and the audience. For example, many geologists--scientists who study the geologic
Earth formations--reserve the word 'lithosphere' to mean only the cold, hard surface
of Earth, not the entire inside of the planet. For the purpose of this module, however,
there will be no distinction among the various layers of land. The word 'lithosphere' will
be used in reference to all land in Earth's system.
Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere contains all the solid, liquid, and gaseous water of the planet.
ranges from 10 to 20 kilometers in thickness. The hydrosphere extends from Earth's
surface downward several kilometers into the lithosphere and upward about 12
kilometers into the atmosphere.

A small portion of the water in the hydrosphere is fresh (non-salty). This water flows as
precipitation from the atmosphere down to Earth's surface, as rivers and streams along
Earth's surface, and as groundwater beneath Earth's surface. Most of Earth's fresh
water, however, is frozen.

Ninety-seven percent of Earth's water is salty. The salty water collects in deep valleys.
along Earth's surface. These large collections of salty water are referred to as oceans.
The image above depicts the different temperatures one would find on oceans' surfaces.
Water near the poles is very cold (shown in dark purple), while water near the equator is
very warm (shown in light blue). The differences in temperature cause water to change
Physical states. Extremely low temperatures like those found at the poles cause water to
freeze into a solid such as a polar icecap, a glacier, or an iceberg. Extremely high
Temperatures like those found at the equator cause water to evaporate into a gas.
Biosphere
The biosphere contains all the planet's living things. This sphere includes all of the
microorganisms, plants, and animals of Earth.

Within the biosphere, living things form ecological communities based on the physical
the surroundings of an area. These communities are referred to asbiomesDeserts,
grasslands, and tropical rainforests are three of the many types of biomes that exist
within the biosphere.

It is impossible to detect from space each individual organism within the biosphere.
However, biomes can be seen from space. For example, the image above distinguishes
between lands covered with plants (shown in shades of green) and those that are not
(shown in brown).

***Note: Some scientists place humans in their own sphere called the
For the purpose of this module, however, humans will be included as part of the
biosphere. The word 'biosphere' will be used in reference to all living things on Earth.
system.

Note: Some scientists place frozen water--glaciers, icecaps, and icebergs--in its own
sphere called the "cryosphere." For the purpose of this module, however, frozen water
will be included as part of the hydrosphere. The word "hydrosphere" will be used in
reference to all water in Earth's system.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere contains all the air in Earth's system. It extends from less than 1 m
below the planet's surface to more than 10,000 km above the planet's surface. The
The upper portion of the atmosphere protects the organisms of the biosphere from the sun's
ultraviolet radiation. It also absorbs and emits heat. When air temperature in the lower
portion of this sphere changes, weather occurs. As air in the lower atmosphere is heated
or cooled, it moves around the planet. The result can be as simple as a breeze or as
complex as a tornado.

****Note: The atmosphere is made up of many layers that differ in chemical composition
and temperature. For the purpose of this module, however, we will not differentiate
among the layers of the atmosphere. The word 'atmosphere' will be used in reference to
all of the layers.
 2. How do the 4 earth subsystems interact?
- Scientists divide the planet into two main components: the biosphere, which
consists of all life, and the geosphere. The geosphere has four subsystems called the
lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere. Because these subsystems
interact with each other and the biosphere, they work together to influence the
climate, trigger geological processes, and affect life all over the Earth.

Dry Land: Many Call it Home

Unless you live in the air like a bird, you make your home in the lithosphere along with all other
life forms that live on land. The lithosphere, which consists of the Earth's crust and upper mantle,
also contains rocks, forests, mountains and all the earth's other landforms. Its depth is about 100
kilometers (22 miles). The lithosphere always changes because of geological processing.
happening above and below ground.

The Air You Breathe

Perched above the other subsystems you'll find the atmosphere. Essential to life on the planet, it
only makes up about 0.07 percent of the Earth's mass. The atmosphere contains several layers
including the troposphere, a layer that interacts with the other subsystems. Although oxygen is a
critical gas that sustains life, the lower atmosphere only contains 20.95 percent oxygen and 78.08
percent nitrogen. The atmosphere is always in motion responding to temperature changes that
occur in other parts of the Earth system.

Let There be Water

The hydrosphere contains the planet's water whether it's in the oceans, lakes or rivers. It also
consists of water vapor that condenses to form clouds. The atmosphere can also affect the
hydrosphere. For instance, the ocean's temperature changes when the air temperature fluctuates.
These temperature changes, in turn, can help spawn hurricanes that affect the other subsystems.
The ocean is the hydrosphere's largest component.

Cold as Ice
Similar to the hydrosphere, the cryosphere also contains the planet's water. However, this
subsystem consists of solid water. That water may be in the form of glaciers, snow, ice in the
ocean, permafrost and even frozen ground. Changes in temperature and sea levels can have a
major effect on the cryosphere, especially when warmer temperatures cause ice to melt. Melting
ice can affect polar bears and other life in this subsystem. Because ice reflects sunlight and
oceans absorb it, less ice due to melting can translate into higher temperatures.