Earth

Elements of Earths Crust, Living organisms, Oceans and Atmosphere6th gradeTeachers: As you review these slides with your students, review the symbols of the elements that are included. 1

EarthAtmosphere, Biosphere, Hydrosphere and Lithosphere.Trace the following elements of the periodic table in black that are found in the solid portion of the earthElement name Oxygen (O)Silicon (Si)Aluminum (Al)Iron (Fe)Calcium (Ca)Sodium (Na)Potassium (K)Magnesium (Mg)Draw brown horizontal lines of the elements of the periodic table that are found in living matterElement nameHydrogen (H)Oxygen (O)Carbon (C)Nitrogen (N)Shade the elements of the periodic table that are found in the atmosphere with a blue colorElementsChloride (Cl)Sodium (Na)Magnesium (Mg)Sulfur (S)Calcium (Ca)Other elements combinedDraw purple dots in the elements of the periodic table that are found in the oceanElementsNitrogen (N)Oxygen (O)Argon (Ar)Carbon dioxide (CO2)With your shoulder partner:Compare the number of shaded elements with the number of elements not shaded. What did you observe?Solid Earth The Earths crust, also referred to as the lithosphere, is composed of different elementsMajority of Earths crust is made up of eight elements.Use the following data to construct a pie graph showing the percentage of each of the eight elementsTitle your pie graph SOLID EARTH

The elements in the SOLID EARTHElement name Percentage by weight of the Earths crustOxygen (O)47%Silicon (Si)28%Aluminum (Al)8%Iron (Fe)5%Calcium (Ca)3.5%Sodium (Na)3%Potassium (K)2.5%Magnesium (Mg)2%Adapted from http://www.rsc.org/Education/Teachers/Resources/jesei/minerals/students.htmFacilitate students construction of pie graph to ensure their accuracy in estimaiong the size of the pie for the graph9Living MatterAnything that consumes energy, wastes energy, responds to stimuli, grows and reproducesMajority of living matter is composed of four elementsUse the following data to construct a pie graph showing the percentage of each of the four elementsTitle your pie graph LIVING MATTER

The elements in Living MatterElement namePercentage found in any cellHydrogen (H)59% Oxygen (O)24%Carbon (C)11% Nitrogen (N)4% Others elements combined2% http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/geology/life_elements.htmlOceansMore than half of the earth is covered in salt waterMajority of Earths crust is made up of eight elementsUse the following data to construct a pie graph showing the percentage of each of the five elementsTitle your pie graph OCEANS 12The elements in the oceanElementsPercentage Chloride (Cl)55%Sodium (Na)31%Magnesium (Mg)7.7%Sulfur (S)3.7%Calcium (Ca)1.2%Other elements combined1.4%Adapted from ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeawaterAtmosphereLayer of gases that surround the earthMajority of Earths atmosphere is made up of four elementsUse the following data to construct a pie graph showing the percentage of each of the four elementsTitle your pie graph ATMOSPHERE14Elements in the atmosphereAdapted from :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_EarthElementsPercentage of elements iNitrogen (N)78.09%Oxygen (O)20.9%Argon (Ar)0.93%Carbon dioxide (CO2)0.039%

Use the pie graphs you have created to answer the following questions

Which is the most abundant element in the Earths crust?Which is the most abundant element in living matter?Which is the most abundant element in the oceans?Which is the most abundant element in the atmosphere?Which is the most common element found in majority of your pie graphs?

The Eight elements that make up earths crust:

Even though there are 92 elements that are naturally found, only eight of them are common in the rocks that make up the Earths outer layer, the crust. Together, these 8 elements make up more than 98% of the crust. The 8 most common elements in Earths crust (by mass): 46.6% Oxygen (O)27.7% Silicon (Si)8.1% Aluminum (Al)5.0% Iron (Fe)3.6% Calcium (Ca)2.8% Sodium (Na)2.6% Potassium (K)2.1% Magnesium (Mg)Together, the elements oxygen and silicon make up most of the Earths crust including silicate minerals such as quartz and feldspar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv5jYU-aZRY

Earth Systems Interactions

The Spheres!lithosphere: rigid, rocky outer layer of the earth The atmosphere contains all of the Earths air and is divided into troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere. The hydrosphere contains all of the solid, liquid and gaseous water on Earth, extending from the depths of the sea to the upper reaches of the troposphere where water is found. Ninety-seven percent of the hydrosphere is found in salty oceans, and the remainder is found as vapor or droplets in the atmosphere and as liquid in ground water, lakes, rivers, glaciers and snowfields. The biosphere is the collection of all Earths life forms, distributed in major life zones known as biomes: tundra, boreal forest, temperate deciduous forest, temperate grassland, desert, savannah, tropical rainforest, chaparral, freshwater, and marine.

Intro to the Lithospherehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS5aUvEk_W0&feature=related

LithosphereGeologists have a different goal. Their studies involve understanding the lithosphere. The lithosphere is the solid portion of the Earth, the part that all of us stand on each day. The part that our schools, stores and homes are built upon.

Geologists examine the characteristics of the lithosphere, and try to understand the processes that formed it, and that continue to shape it today. Lets begin our study of the Earths lithosphere by examining the portion of it that we are most familiar with, the soil. Soil is found on the upper most layer of the Earth. Soil consists of a mixture of weathered rock, finely ground into powder, minerals, and a variety of living and dead life forms. This nutrient rich layer typically only extends downward a few feet, about as deep as plant roots extend.

The atmospherehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGNxYtT_36I&feature=related

AtmosphereThe atmosphere is the blanket of gases which surrounds Earth. It is held near the surface of the planet by Earth's gravitational attraction.Without the atmosphere there could be no life on Earth. The atmosphere:contains the air we breathe; protects life from harmful radiation from the Sun; helps keep the planet's heat from the Sun from escaping back into space; is a major element of the water cycle; keeps the climate on Earth moderate compared to that of other planets. The atmosphere is made up of a mixture of gases, mostly nitrogen, oxygen, argon and carbon dioxide. It reaches over 500km above the surface of the planet. There is no exact boundary between the atmosphere and outer space. Atmospheric gases become thinner the higher up you go. The atmosphere just keeps getting less and less dense, until it "blends" into outer space.

The atmosphere is divided into four layers based on temperature: the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere.

The Troposphere

This is the lowest layer of the atmosphere, closest to the surface of the earth. The troposphere varies in height in different parts of the world, from about 8km above sea level at the poles, to 16km at the equator. Within the troposphere, the temperature drops rapidly the higher you go. This is the layer where we see clouds and most of the "weather" occurs.The top layer of the troposphere is called the tropopause. Within the troposphere the temperature drops to a low of -56C. This marks the beginning of the tropopause. Through the tropopause, the temperature reverses and begins to increase. The height of the tropopause varies from the poles to the equator, but also from the summer to winter.The Stratosphere

For a distance of about 18km above the tropopause, there is a layer called the stratosphere. In this layer, the pressure continues to decrease, but the temperature increases gradually to 0C. Like the troposphere, the stratosphere also varies in thickness. It is quite deep over the poles and thinner over the equator.The stratosphere contains a layer of ozone which absorbs the Sun's ultraviolet rays, protecting life on the earth's surface.The top layer of the stratosphere is called the stratopause. In this layer the temperature, once again, begins to fall.The Mesosphere

The mesosphere reaches up to about 80km above the surface of the earth. This is the coldest layer of the atmosphere, where the temperature drops rapidly with altitude. In the top layer of the mesosphere, called the mesopause, the temperature bottoms out at a low of about -100C at 80km above the earth. After that the temperature begins to rise again with greater altitude.This is the layer where meteorites usually burn up as they enter the atmosphere.

The Thermosphere

The thermosphere extends upwards from a point 80-100 kilometers above the earth's surface. There is very little air in this layer. The temperature continues to rise in the thermosphere and beyond, increasing for an indefinite distance into space.The Exosphere

The exosphere is the very outer limit of the atmosphere. The bottom of this layer is found at 500 kilometers above the Earth's surface. The pressure drops to little more than a vacuum. Auroras form in the exosphere.

Atmosphere

Experience the atmospherehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CerJbZ-dm0&feature=related

Introduction to the hydrospherehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0dlYy4K9KQ&feature=related

Hydrosphere:Flowing WaterWelcome to something we like to call the hydrosphere! This is where we talk about the way water moves through the world. Water affects everything that happens in life. In Latin, "hydro" means water. Therefore, anything that scientists describe, when it comes to water, is a part of the HYDROsphere. That water may be at the bottom of the ocean or in the top layers of the atmosphere; it is all a part of the hydrosphere.

Water Water EverywhereWater is in the air, on the land, between the rocks, and in every living thing. Water, in its purest form, is H20 (two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom). You will usually find ions or compounds floating around in it, but water is just one small molecule. Remember that pure liquid water is the thing that makes all life on Earth possible.

Liquid water makes the Earth a special place. Our planet has a very nice temperature range that allows water to remain in its liquid state. If we were a colder object like Pluto, it would not matter how much water there was on Pluto; it would all be frozen. On the other hand, if we were on a very hot planet, all of the water would be in a gaseous state. Water vapor and solid water are useless to the living organisms found on Earth. Since the hydrosphere includes all of the water on the planet, you will study all of the various states of water. There will be solids in the deep glaciers, liquids of the oceans, and the vapor state of clouds.

Water, water, and more waterImagine that you're a water molecule. Chances are you'll stay a water molecule and won't ever be broken down. Imagine that you're moving through the hydrologic cycle. Your journey involves you evaporating , falling as rain, and draining into a river.

Scientists think that if you are lucky enough to evaporate into a cloud, you spend about ten days floating around the atmosphere. If you're unlucky enough to be at the bottom of the ocean or stuck in a glacier, you might spend tens of thousands of years without moving. Intro to the Biospherehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_f9nYpZlp8&feature=related

Biosphere: A Big Ball of LifeThe 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 in a dark cave or to the bottom of the ocean at hydrothermal vents. The biosphere extends to any place that life (of any kind) can exist on Earth. Biosphere Continues: The biosphere is the one place where all of the other spheres of the planet work together. Think about the interactions for a second. (Turn and Talk) The land interacts with the water (hydrosphere). The land interacts with the air (atmosphere and climates). The land even interacts with forces deep inside the Earth and the energy coming to the Earth from space. All of those forces work together to create our living world.

Big, Small, and the Smallest Factors

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. If we were further away, it might be too cold. Even the tilt of the Earth is important. Seasons and seasonal climate changes are direct results of the tilt of the Earth towards or away from the Sun.

Smaller factors are also act on the biosphere. If you were to look at a piece of land that was only one square mile, you would find influential factors such as climate, daily weather, and erosion. These smaller factors change the land and the organisms must react accordingly. Even though humans are able to control their environment, they are still vulnerable to weather and earthquakes. Big, Small, and the Smallest Factors ContinuesThe smallest of factors in the biosphere work on a molecular level. Chemical erosion is a great example of a landscape changing one molecule at a time. Oxidation and reduction reactions happen all the time, changing the composition of rocks and organic materials. It's not just chemistry at work on the molecular level. Tiny organisms such as bacteria and single-celled organisms are constantly working to break down materials (organic and inorganic) and change the world.

Four systems: interactions with each other.Although the four systems have their unique identities, there is substantial interaction between them. Environmental scientists study the effects of events in one sphere on the other spheres. For example, a volcanic eruption in the geosphere may cause profound direct and indirect effects on the hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere as follows:Example 1 (Volcano) On May 18, 1980, Mount Saint Helens, in the state of Washington, erupted. This event altered the surrounding environment, and provided scientists with an opportunity to study the effects of volcanic eruptions on the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Such studies are vital because volcanic eruptions will continue to occur, and will have increasing impact on humans as people continue to settle lands closer to dormant volcanoes. The following are but a few of the myriad of interactions resulting from a volcanic eruption.Volcano >> geosphere >> atmosphere >> hydrosphere >> biosphereVolcanoes (an event in the geosphere) release a large amount of particulate matter into the atmosphere. These particles serve as nuclei for the formation of water droplets (hydrosphere). Rainfall (hydrosphere) often increases following an eruption, stimulating plant growth (biosphere). Particulate matter in the air (atmosphere) falls out, initially smothering plants (biosphere), but ultimately enriching the soil (geosphere) and thereby stimulating plant growth (biosphere).Volcano >> geosphere >> hydrosphere >> biosphereVolcanoes (events in the geosphere) may release a substantial amount of hot lava (geosphere), which causes mountain glaciers (hydrosphere) to melt. Mudflows (geosphere) and flooding may occur downstream from volcanoes and may inundate streamside communities (biosphere). Reviewhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1PzX_Mq7ug&feature=related

Which sphere am i? rigid, rocky outer layer of the earth

:LithosphereWhich sphere am I?all of the earth's water, including surface water (water in oceans, lakes, and rivers), groundwater (water in soil and beneath the earth's surface), snowcover, ice, and water in the atmosphere, including water vapor

HydrosphereWhich Sphere am I?the mixture of gases surrounding the earth, held in place by gravity AtmosphereWhich sphere am I?the parts of the land, sea, and atmosphere in which organisms are able to liveBiosphereGeosphereThe geosphere consists of the core, mantle and crust of the Earth.

Creditshttp://www.windows2universe.org/earth/geology/crust_elements.html

http://www.kidsgeo.com/geology-for-kids/0001-the-lithosphere.phphttp://www.espo.nasa.gov/solveII/outreach/middleschool-atmos.htm