Simone Lawson
The Earth is made up of four interconnected subsystems or spheres that contain all of the world's land masses, water sources, living organisms, and gases. These four spheres are the geosphere (or lithosphere), hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. The biosphere is the only biotic sphere, encompassing all living organisms, while the other three spheres are abiotic, made up of non-living components. These four spheres are closely connected and constantly interact with each other, influencing the Earth's processes and shaping the environment in which life exists.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First Sphere | Geosphere/Lithosphere (Land) |
| Consists of all the rocks on Earth, including the planet's mantle and crust, the two outermost layers. | |
| Includes mountains, deserts, volcanoes, and lava. | |
| Provides natural resources and a place to grow food. | |
| Second Sphere | Hydrosphere (Water) |
| Includes all the water on or near the Earth's surface, such as oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, glaciers, and moisture in the atmosphere. | |
| Oceans comprise over 97% of the hydrosphere, with the remaining portion being freshwater, most of which is frozen in glaciers. | |
| Water exists in solid, liquid, and gaseous states. | |
| Third Sphere | Biosphere (Living Things) |
| Consists of all the living things on Earth, including plants, animals, and bacteria. | |
| Provides food, water, air, and other necessities for humans. | |
| Fourth Sphere | Atmosphere (Air) |
| Consists of all the gases surrounding the Earth, including nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, argon, and other trace gases. | |
| The atmosphere rises to about 10,000 kilometers in height and is divided into zones such as the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. | |
| Provides heat and energy for various processes on Earth. |
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What You'll Learn
- The geosphere/lithosphere: the solid outermost shell of the Earth, including the crust and mantle
- The hydrosphere: all water on or near the Earth's surface, in all its states
- The biosphere: all organic life systems, including plants, animals, and bacteria
- The atmosphere: the dense layer of gases surrounding the Earth, essential for life
- Human impact: human activities can negatively affect all four spheres, but positive changes are possible
The geosphere/lithosphere: the solid outermost shell of the Earth, including the crust and mantle
The geosphere, also known as the lithosphere, is the solid outermost shell of the Earth. It includes the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust, the outermost layers of Earth's structure. The lithosphere is composed of the crust and the lithospheric mantle, or mantle lithosphere, the topmost portion of the upper mantle. The crust and upper mantle are distinguished by their chemical composition and mineralogy.
The lithosphere is the solid, rigid outer vertical layer of the Earth, extending to a depth of about 100 kilometres (62 miles). It is the coolest of Earth's layers and is subdivided horizontally into 15 major tectonic plates. These plates often include terranes accreted from other plates. The movement of these plates is made possible by thermal energy from the mantle and results in tectonic activity. Tectonic activity is responsible for some of Earth's most dramatic geological events, including earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain-building, and deep ocean trenches.
The oceanic lithosphere is associated with oceanic crust and is denser and slightly thinner than the continental lithosphere. The oceanic lithosphere is made of mafic crust and ultramafic mantle peridotite, while the continental lithosphere is made of gneiss crust. The oceanic lithosphere thickens as it ages and moves away from the mid-ocean ridge, with the oldest oceanic lithosphere being about 140 kilometres (87 miles) thick and 170 million years old. In contrast, the continental lithosphere can be up to billions of years old.
The lithosphere is essential for providing natural resources and a place to grow food. It is constantly undergoing processes that modify the other spheres. For example, the rock cycle involves the melting of rocks in the lithosphere, which are then blown out to the surface as lava. The lithosphere also interacts with the other spheres to influence temperature differences on Earth. For instance, tall mountains often have lower temperatures than valleys or hills due to the interaction of the mountain range of the lithosphere with the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
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The hydrosphere: all water on or near the Earth's surface, in all its states
The hydrosphere is the total amount of water on a planet, including water that is on the surface, underground, and in the air. The hydrosphere can be liquid, vapour, or ice. On Earth, the hydrosphere has been around for about 4 billion years and continues to change in shape due to seafloor spreading and continental drift. It is estimated that there are 1.386 billion cubic kilometres of water on Earth, which is about 0.023% of Earth's total mass.
Liquid water exists on Earth's surface in the form of oceans, lakes, and rivers. It also exists below ground as groundwater, in wells and aquifers. Water vapour is visible as clouds and fog. The frozen part of Earth's hydrosphere includes glaciers, ice caps, and icebergs. The frozen part of the hydrosphere is also known as the cryosphere.
Water moves through the hydrosphere in a cycle known as the hydrologic cycle or water cycle. Water collects in clouds, then falls to Earth in the form of rain or snow. This water collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans, then evaporates into the atmosphere to start the cycle all over again. The water cycle plays a crucial role in regulating life on Earth.
The hydrosphere is closely connected to the other spheres of the Earth: the geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. For example, evaporation in the hydrosphere forms clouds and rain in the atmosphere, which then returns water to the hydrosphere. The hydrosphere provides moisture to weather and erode rocks in the geosphere. The biosphere receives water from the hydrosphere and plays a role in returning water vapour to the atmosphere through transpiration.
Human activities have a significant impact on the hydrosphere. Water diversion, development, and pollution affect the hydrosphere and its natural processes. Humans are withdrawing water from aquifers and diverting rivers, which can have drastic consequences for the environment and human societies.
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The biosphere: all organic life systems, including plants, animals, and bacteria
The biosphere is a term coined by geologist Eduard Suess in 1875, referring to the place on Earth's surface where life dwells. It is a thin life-supporting stratum of Earth's surface, extending from a few kilometres into the atmosphere to the deep-sea vents of the ocean. The biosphere is composed of living organisms and non-living factors, such as the flow of energy, nutrients, water, and gases, from which the organisms derive energy and nutrients. It is a virtually closed system in terms of matter, with minimal inputs and outputs, but open regarding energy, with photosynthesis capturing solar energy.
The biosphere is the global ecological system that integrates all living beings, including plants, animals, and bacteria, and their relationships, including their interactions with the elements of the lithosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. It is estimated that there are 3 to 30 million species of plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria that are part of the biosphere. Recent advances in microbiology have also revealed the presence of microbial life deep beneath the Earth's surface, exceeding the biomass of all animal and plant life on the surface.
The biosphere is characterised by the continuous cycling of matter and the flow of solar energy, with certain large molecules and cells capable of self-reproduction. Water is essential to this process, as are elements like carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur, which provide the building blocks for the creation of life. The major cycles that occur in the biosphere include the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, sulfur cycle, phosphorus cycle, and hydrological (water) cycle.
The biosphere is closely connected to the other spheres of the Earth, including the geosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), and atmosphere (air). For example, the biosphere receives sunlight and gases from the atmosphere, collects water from the hydrosphere, and obtains its living medium from the geosphere. Human activities such as deforestation, burning fossil fuels, and waste production can negatively impact the biosphere, but efforts like recycling can help mitigate these effects.
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The atmosphere: the dense layer of gases surrounding the Earth, essential for life
The atmosphere is a dense layer of gases that surrounds the Earth and is essential for life. It is one of the four spheres that constitute our environment, along with the geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. The atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen (79%) and oxygen (21%), with trace amounts of argon, carbon dioxide, and other gases. It extends to about 10,000 kilometres in height and is divided into four main layers: the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. The outermost layer is the exosphere, beyond which lies outer space.
The atmosphere plays a crucial role in protecting the Earth and supporting life. It acts as a canopy, shielding the other spheres from the harsh outer environment. For example, the ozone layer in the stratosphere absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, preventing it from reaching the Earth's surface and causing damage to living organisms and the environment. The atmosphere also provides the heat and energy necessary for the breakdown and erosion of rocks in the geosphere. This, in turn, helps to weather and erode rocks, providing essential nutrients for plant growth and contributing to the water cycle.
The atmosphere interacts closely with the other spheres. It receives water vapour from the hydrosphere through evaporation and cloud formation, and returns this water to the hydrosphere in the form of rain. The biosphere, which includes all living things, receives sunlight and gases from the atmosphere, as well as water from the hydrosphere. The biosphere, in turn, influences the atmosphere through processes such as respiration and decomposition, releasing gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapour.
Human activities can have significant impacts on the atmosphere. Burning fossil fuels, for example, releases pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and climate change. Volcanic eruptions can also affect the atmosphere by releasing toxic gases that pollute the air and inhibit plant growth, affecting the biosphere as well. However, humans can also work to mitigate their impact on the atmosphere through the use of eco-friendly products and recycling, helping to reduce the release of harmful substances and promote a healthier environment.
In summary, the atmosphere is a vital component of our environment, providing essential gases for respiration, protecting the Earth, and facilitating key ecological processes. Its interactions with the other spheres demonstrate the complex and interconnected nature of our planet's systems. Understanding and preserving the health of the atmosphere is crucial for the well-being of all life on Earth.
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Human impact: human activities can negatively affect all four spheres, but positive changes are possible
The four spheres that constitute our environment are the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Human activities have negatively impacted all four spheres, but positive changes are possible and are being made.
Humans have negatively impacted the geosphere through activities such as mining minerals, metals, and gems, extracting fossil fuels, and increasing erosion and sedimentation by removing or altering natural plant cover through agriculture, logging, and urbanization. Additionally, piling up garbage in landfills affects the geosphere.
The hydrosphere has been impacted by human-produced waste that flows into water bodies and pumping waste into the oceans. The activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the hydrosphere.
Burning fossil fuels and releasing pollution into the atmosphere have negatively impacted this sphere.
The biosphere has been affected by human activities such as overfishing, habitat destruction, and cutting down trees. Human activities have also led to the extinction of many species.
However, positive changes are possible and are being implemented. Recycling efforts are increasing worldwide, and companies are finding new ways to reduce fossil fuel usage. Communities are treating sewage, reducing the amount of material they use, and regulating sources of pollution. Individuals are taking small actions like cleaning trash or planting trees. Many businesses are switching from non-renewable energy sources to solar power, which is now an affordable and accessible energy option. B Corp certifications are pushing businesses to find environmentally friendly solutions, and environmental impact assessments are helping businesses identify and address their negative impacts. Overall, human activities can have both negative and positive impacts on the four spheres of our environment, and it is important to strive for positive changes to protect and restore our planet.
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Frequently asked questions
The four spheres that make up our environment are the geosphere (or lithosphere), hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere.
The geosphere, or lithosphere, refers to all of the Earth's rocks, including the planet's mantle and crust, as well as the minerals found within them. The geosphere starts at the ground and extends down to the Earth's core.
The hydrosphere is composed of all the water on or near the Earth's surface, including oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, and moisture in the atmosphere. Water in the hydrosphere can be in solid, liquid, or gaseous states.
The biosphere encompasses all living organisms, including bacteria, trees, birds, mammals, insects, and humans.
The atmosphere is the body of gases that surrounds the Earth, held in place by gravity. The air we breathe is composed of particles that are too small to be seen, and it consists of about 79% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with trace amounts of other gases.
