Earth’s Environmental
Systems
Chapter 3 – Environmental Science
Central Case
 After reading the Central Case, who do you think is
responsible for the Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone?
 What do you think is the best way to go about solving
the problem?
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Chemistry is CENTRAL in understanding what
environmental problems are occurring and in how to
correct them.
 We begin this chapter with an introduction to basic
chemistry….
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Matter –
 Mass –
 Volume -
 Atoms –
 Element -
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Parts of the atom
 Nucleus –
 Protons –
 Atomic Number –
 Neutrons –
 Electron Cloud
 Electrons
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Bonding
 Covalent bonds –
 Ionic bonds
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Molecules and Compounds
 Molecules  Compounds –
 Organic molecules –
 Inorganic molecules –
 Hydrocarbons –
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Solutions
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Macromolecules
 Proteins
 Hormones
 Enzymes
 Nucleic Acids
 Carbohydrates
 Lipids
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Water
 Properties of water





Cohesion
Adhesion
Resistance to temperature change
Ice density
Universal solvent
Section 1 – What properties of matter are
most important to environmental systems?
 Acids, bases, and pH
 Acid
 Base
 pH
Section 2- What types of systems play
roles in environmental science?
 System
 Inputs
 Outputs
 Earth’s systems
 Inputs
 Outputs
Section 2- What types of systems play
roles in environmental science?
 Feedback loops
 Negative feedback loops
 Positive feedback loops
Section 2- What types of systems play
roles in environmental science?
 Earth’s “spheres”





Geosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 The Geosphere
 3 parts
 Crust
 Mantle
 Core
 Plate tectonics
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 Plate Boundaries
 Divergent plate boundaries
 Transform plate boundaries
 Convergent plate boundaries
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 Biosphere
 Atmosphere
 Layers




Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 Hydrosphere
 Earth’s water
 The water cycle
 Evaporation
 Transpiration
 Precipitation
 Condensation
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 Hydrosphere
 Groundwater
 Aquifers
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 Nutrient cycling
 Law of Conservation of Matter
 Nutrients
 Biogeochemical cycles
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 The Carbon Cycle
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 The Phosphorus Cycle
Section 3 – What are the characteristics
of the Earth’s spheres?
 The Nitrogen Cycle