BY: Billie Jean

The 4 Spheres

LithospherePlate tectonics, Volcanism, and Continental Drift

Lithosphere- includes the crust and the uppermost part of the upper mantle.

Volcanism- Volcanoes form along belts, and the vast majority of these belts are along the boundaries between Earth's major tectonic plates. Magma is generated by the Lithosphere to form volcanoes.

Plate tectonics- rely on a concept of the lithosphere. The Earth is always moving, it is driven by forces deep inside the core. The planet’s crust is not in one piece, but composed of many plates moving in relation to one another.

Continental Drift- if you study Africa's West Coast and America’s South Coast they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. In the early twentieth century two scientists had a theory that the continents were once joined together.

Plates interact by moving towards each other, (convergence) away from each other, (divergence) or past each other. (transform motion.) Convergence usually works together with subduction, meaning that one plate is forced down into the mantle and is partially melted.

Because the lithosphere is rigid, it cannot go any deeper than the mantle does. Heat then has to pass through it mainly by conduction, which is a less effective than convection.

HydrosphereThe Water Cycle, and What the Hydrosphere consist of.

Water Cycle- is the continuous movement of water on, under, and above Earth. The cycle consists the exchange of heat energy which leads to the changing of temperature.

The Hydrosphere is the main portion of water. It consists of lakes, oceans, seas, rivers, and any body of water. Water is Liquid.

The hydrosphere effects everything in life. The Water Cycle consist of the ocean water storage, evaporation, condensation, evapotranspiration, precipitation, runoff, and ground water. These are all what make up the Water Cycle.

The hydrosphere, like the atmosphere, is always in motion. The motion of rivers and streams can be easily seen, while the motion of the water within lakes and ponds is less obvious.

Hydrosphere- a layer of water at or near the Earth’s surface. It includes all liquid and frozen surface waters, groundwater held in soil and rock, atmospheric water vapor.

AtmosphereRelationship between pressure and height, layers of the Atmosphere, and the function of the Atmosphere

Atmosphere- is the air that surrounds the Earth. It is always in motion and constantly changing, held in its place by the Earth's gravity.

There are three gasses gases in the atmosphere. They are Nitrogen, oxygen, and argon.

The atmosphere is responsible for the all weather.

As we move upward in the atmosphere, the weight of the air upon us should decrease because there is less air above us. Therefore, air pressure decreases with increasing height.

Stratosphere, Troposphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, and the Exosphere are the layers of the atmosphere.

The atmosphere, a thin shell of gases surrounding the Earth, is a very effective protecting shield that reflects and absorbs harmful radiation and objects like meteorites.

BiosphereWhat the Biosphere consist of

The biosphere is all living organisms. The biosphere is the one place where all of

the other spheres of the planet work together.

The biosphere is all about life. Physical geographers use the term biosphere to describe our living world. This is where all of the trees, bugs, and animals live. The biosphere extends to the upper areas of the atmosphere where birds and insects can be found. It also reaches deep into the ground at a dark cave or to the bottom of the ocean.

Many factors affect the biosphere and our life here on Earth. There are large factors such as the distance between the Earth and the Sun. If our planet were closer to the Sun, it might be too hot to support life.

The biosphere has evolved since the first single-celled organisms originated 3.5 billion years ago under atmospheric conditions resembling those of our neighboring planets Mars and Venus, which have atmospheres composed primarily of carbon dioxide.

As a result of long-term interactions between the biosphere and the other earth systems, there is almost no part of the earth's surface that has not been altered by living organisms.

Sphere Interactions All the spheres interact with other

spheres. For example, rain (hydrosphere) falls from clouds in the atmosphere to the lithosphere and forms streams and rivers that provide drinking water for wildlife and humans as well as water for plant growth (biosphere). River action erodes banks(lithosphere) and uproots plants (biosphere) on the riverbanks. Flooding rivers wash away soil.

Waves erode the cliffs causing upper portions of rock to collapse. Wave action carries sand that polishes rocks on the beach. Water evaporates from the ocean into atmosphere. Water vapor forms clouds. Clouds produce rain. Rainwater needed for plant growth. Plant roots stabilize the soil. Vegetation takes up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releases oxygen. Vegetation adds nutrients to the soil. The ocean is a habitat for plants, fish, birds and mammals. Wind generates waves. Wind may blow away soil in exposed locations. Oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Wave action adds oxygen to water, needed by aquatic plants and animals.

Erosion (Lithosphere)

Precipitation (Hydrosphere)

Air

(Atm

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ere)

Ocean (Hydrosphere)