Section1- Earth: A Unique Planet
Section 2- Energy in the Earth System
Section 3- Ecology
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Third Planet from the sun
Made mostly of rock
~71% of Earth’s surface covered by water
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Global ocean
Oblate Spheroid
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3 major compositional zones
5 major structural zones
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Crust
Mantle
Core
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Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Mesosphere
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Two magnetic poles
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North and South
Extends beyond the atmosphere
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Affects the Magnetosphere
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Gravity
Isaac Newton
Law of gravitation
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Weight is a measure of the strength of the pull
of gravity on an object
Mass of an object does not change with
location, but the weight of an object does
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Weight varies according to location on Earth’s
location on Earth’s surface
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System
The operation of the Earth’s system is a result of
interaction between two most basic components of
the universe
 Matter
 Energy
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Closed- A system in which energy, but not
matter, is exchanged with the surroundings
Open- A system in which both energy and
matter are exchanged with the surroundings
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Open
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However, very limited amounts of matter are
exchanged
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Matter on Earth is in solid, liquid, and gaseous
states
4 spheres that are storehouses of all of the
planet’s matter are:
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Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Biosphere
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First Law of Thermodynamics
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Energy is transferred between systems
 It cannot be created or destroyed
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Second Law of Thermodynamics
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When energy transfer takes place, matter becomes
less organized with time
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Earth’s Interior
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Decay of radioactive atoms generates heat to keep
the interior hot
Sun
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Solar radiation warms Earth’s Atmosphere and
surface
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The Nitrogen Cycle
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The Carbon Cycle
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Nitrogen must be “fixed”
Short Term Cycle
Long Term Cycle
The Phosphorus Cycle
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Moves through every sphere but the atmosphere
 It is rarely a gas
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The Water Cycle
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Precipitation Evaporation Condensation
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Ecology
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The study of the complex relationships between
living things and their nonliving, or abiotic,
environment
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Ecosystem
Each ecosystem on Earth is distinct
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Self-supporting
Producers
Consumers
Decomposers
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The Earth is what type of System?
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Open, but with limited amount of matter and energy
exchange
Organisms use energy and matter
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These are limited
Populations growth inside a ecosystem is limited as
well
Carry Capacity
 The largest population that an environment can
support at any given time
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Changes in any one part of an ecosystem may
affect the entire system
Environmental change
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Forest Fire  great damage and disruption
 Grass and fast-growing plants shrubs and small
animal species larger tree species and larger animals
 These will return to balance the ecosystem
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Sun
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Photosynthesis
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Ultimate source of energy
How plants capture solar energy through a chemical
process
Food Chain
Food Web