TEKS 6.5A know that an element is a pure substance represented by chemical symbols.
TEKS 6.5B recognize that a limited number of the many known elements comprise the largest portion of solid
Earth, living matter, oceans, and the atmosphere
Elements in Earth’s Spheres
Materials:
 class set of pie
charts
 Periodic Table
 Periodic Table
Match Activity
Objective: Identify the major elements that comprise Earth’s lithosphere,
biosphere, atmosphere, and oceans.
Teacher Directions:




Make a class set of the pie charts. Color is preferable.
Refer students back to the Periodic Table Match to help them in completing
the “I think…..” table.
Hand out the pie charts when groups have completed the first column of the
“I think…” table.
Students will revisit the table using the information from the pie charts.
Elements in Earth’s Spheres
The table shows the most abundant elements in Earth’s spheres and the
universe.
Element
aluminum
Al
argon
Ar
calcium
Ca
carbon
C
chlorine
Cl
helium
He
hydrogen
H
iron
Fe
magnesium
Mg
nitrogen
N
oxygen
O
phosphorous
P
potassium
K
silicon
Si
sodium
Na
Solid Earth
(lithosphere)
Living
Matter
(biosphere)
Oceans
(hydrosphere)
Atmosphere
Universe
8%
1%
4%
2%
18%
2%
24%
10%
11%
75%
5%
3%
3%
47%
66%
78%
85%
1%
3%
27%
3%
1%
21%
1%
% Elements in Biosphere
% Elements in the Lithosphere
potassium
3%
calcium
2%
iron
5%
phosphorous
1%
aluminum
8%
oxygen
nitrogen
3%
magnesium
oxygen
47%
silicon
27%
calcium
4%
sodium
3%
sodium
calcium
silicon
oxygen
aluminum
hydrogen
potassium
iron
magnesium
3%
carbon
18%
carbon
hydrogen
10%
nitrogen
phosphorous
oxygen
66%
calcium
% Elements in Ocean
% Elements in Atmosphere
chlorine
2%
sodium
1%
argon
1%
hydrogen
11%
oxygen
21%
oxygen
oxygen
hydrogen
sodium
nitrogen
argon
chlorine
nitrogen
78%
oxygen
86%
% Elements in the Universe
oxygen
1%
helium
24%
hydrogen
helium
oxygen
hydrogen
75%
TEKS 6.5A know that an element is a pure substance represented by chemical symbols
TEKS 6.5B recognize that a limited number of the many known elements comprise the largest portion of solid Earth, living
matter, oceans, and the atmosphere
Elements in Earth’s Spheres
Objective: Identify the major elements that comprise the solid Earth (lithosphere), living matter (biosphere),
atmosphere, and oceans (hydrosphere).
Directions:
1. Look at the list of elements shown below. Think back to the Periodic Table and the Periodic Table Match.
2. With your group, answer the questions in the “I think..” table by filling in the first column. Don’t worry,
if you aren’t sure, you will have an opportunity to change your answers later.
3. Once you have filled in the first column of the “I think..” table, use the pie charts to fill in the “Element’s
in Earth’s Spheres Tables”. The Universe is completed for you. Don’t forget to fill in each element’s
symbol!!
4. Revisit your answers in the “I think…” table by filling in the second column if your answer changed.
Most abundant elements in earth’s spheres:
aluminum
argon
carbon
calcium
chlorine
helium
hydrogen
iron
magnesium
nitrogen
oxygen
phosphorous
potassium
silicon
sodium
I think ………….
Which element is most abundant in
the Earth’s solid surface?
Which element is most abundant in
living things?
Which element is most abundant in
Earth’s oceans?
Which is the most abundant
element in Earth’s atmosphere?
Which element is most abundant in
the Universe?
Which element(s) is (are) common
to living things?
Which element is found in all of
Earth’s spheres as well as the
universe?
Answer BEFORE using the pie
charts.
Answer AFTER using the pie
charts.
I think the most abundant element
is ______because ------
I now know that the most abundant
element is ------
Elements in Earth’s Spheres
Use the data from the pie charts to fill in the table below. Notice that the elements
present in the universe have been filled in for you. Don’t forget to write in the element
symbol for each element. Revisit the “I think” table after you complete this table!
Elements in Earth’s Spheres
Element
Name/
Element
Symbol
Solid Earth
(lithosphere)
Living
Matter
(biosphere)
Oceans
(hydrosphere)
Atmosphere
Universe
aluminum
____
argon
____
calcium
____
carbon
____
chlorine
____
helium
____
24%
hydrogen
____
75%
iron
____
magnesium
____
nitrogen
____
oxygen
____
phosphorous
____
potassium
____
silicon
____
sodium
____
1%