Chapter 1: Earth as a System
Science is:
Any system of knowledge which
tries to observe, identify, understand
and describe the nature of the
Universe in whole or part.
What is Earth Science??
Earth Science is the study of our
entire planet, its past history,
and how it has changed, its
present activity, and the way
that it will change in the future.
Earth Science is the study of our
planet’s interacting systems (the
geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere
and atmosphere) , its place within
the solar system, and the universe
beyond the earth.
Interactions among the Earth’s
spheres change the spheres to
differing degrees.
These impacts can be single events,
temporary changes, or ongoing change.
Energy Budget
 balance of energy coming in &
out of Earth
 too much in, not enough out=
TOO HOT!
 too much out, not enough in=
TOO COLD!
Albedo
 % of energy reflected w/o being
changed
 affected by different colors
How do Earth’s
different surfaces
affect how much of
sun’s energy is
absorbed?