Planet Earth:
Planet Earth:
The Big Picture: “4
spheres”
The Earth’s Spheres:

Atmosphere:
The Earth’s Spheres:

Atmosphere: A mass of gas surrounding
a planet or other celestial body and
held in place by gravity.
The Earth’s Spheres:

Atmosphere: A mass of gas surrounding
a planet or other celestial body and
held in place by gravity.

Mostly Nitrogen (N) and Oxygen (O)
The Earth’s Spheres:

Atmosphere: A mass of gas surrounding
a planet or other celestial body and
held in place by gravity.


Mostly Nitrogen (N) and Oxygen (O)
Hydrosphere:
The Earth’s Spheres:

Atmosphere: A mass of gas surrounding
a planet or other celestial body and
held in place by gravity.


Mostly Nitrogen (N) and Oxygen (O)
Hydrosphere: All water located on the
Earth, in the Earth, and in the Earth’s
atmosphere.
The Earth’s Spheres:

Atmosphere: A mass of gas surrounding
a planet or other celestial body and
held in place by gravity.


Mostly Nitrogen (N) and Oxygen (O)
Hydrosphere: All water located on the
Earth, in the Earth, and in the Earth’s
atmosphere.

The water cycle.
The Earth’s Spheres:

Lithosphere:
The Earth’s Spheres:

Lithosphere: The land on Earth. The
upper layer of solid Earth.
The Earth’s Spheres:

Lithosphere: The land on Earth. The
upper layer of solid Earth.

Includes ocean bedrock and lake and river
beds.
The Earth’s Spheres:

Lithosphere: The land on Earth. The
upper layer of solid Earth.


Includes ocean bedrock and lake and river
beds.
Biosphere:
The Earth’s Spheres:

Lithosphere: The land on Earth. The
upper layer of solid Earth.


Includes ocean bedrock and lake and river
beds.
Biosphere: All forms of life on our
planet.
Interconnectedness:
Hydrosphere
Carbon Dioxide
Oxygen
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere:

What makes up the biosphere?
Biosphere:

What makes up the biosphere?

Bacteria
Biosphere:

What makes up the biosphere?


Bacteria
Protists
Biosphere:

What makes up the biosphere?



Bacteria
Protists
Fungi
Biosphere:

What makes up the biosphere?




Bacteria
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Biosphere:

What makes up the biosphere?





Bacteria
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Animals
Biosphere:

Where would you find the biosphere?
Biosphere:

Where would you find the biosphere?

In the lithosphere. (worms, plant roots)
Biosphere:

Where would you find the biosphere?


In the lithosphere. (worms, plant roots)
In the atmosphere. (birds, trees)
Biosphere:

Where would you find the biosphere?



In the lithosphere. (worms, plant roots)
In the atmosphere. (birds, trees)
In the hydrosphere. (fish, water plants)
Hydrosphere:

Where would you find the hydrosphere?
Hydrosphere:

Where would you find the hydrosphere?

Oceans
Hydrosphere:

Where would you find the hydrosphere?


Oceans
Marshes
Hydrosphere:

Where would you find the hydrosphere?



Oceans
Marshes
Freshwater (lakes, rivers, springs, ponds,
puddles, etc.)
Hydrosphere:

Where would you find the hydrosphere?




Oceans
Marshes
Freshwater (lakes, rivers, springs, ponds,
puddles, etc.)
Glaciers and polar caps as frozen
hydrosphere
Hydrosphere:

Where would you find the hydrosphere?






Oceans
Marshes
Freshwater (lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, puddles,
etc.)
Glaciers and polar caps as frozen hydrosphere
Ground water (under part of the lithosphere)
Atmospheric water (clouds, water vapor, all
precipitation)
Hydrosphere:

How does water move on our planet?

The water cycle
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere:
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere: Runs from the Earth’s
surface to about 12 km.
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere: Runs from the Earth’s
surface to about 12 km.

Weather that affects the planet happens
here.
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere: Runs from the Earth’s
surface to about 12 km.


Weather that affects the planet happens
here.
Temperature decreases as you go up
through this layer.
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere: Runs from the Earth’s
surface to about 12 km.



Weather that affects the planet happens
here.
Temperature decreases as you go up
through this layer.
Stratosphere:
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere: Runs from the Earth’s
surface to about 12 km.



Weather that affects the planet happens
here.
Temperature decreases as you go up
through this layer.
Stratosphere: Runs from the top of the
troposphere to about 48 km.
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere: Runs from the Earth’s surface to
about 12 km.



Weather that affects the planet happens here.
Temperature decreases as you go up through this
layer.
Stratosphere: Runs from the top of the
troposphere to about 48 km.

Jet planes fly here.
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere: Runs from the Earth’s surface to
about 12 km.



Weather that affects the planet happens here.
Temperature decreases as you go up through this
layer.
Stratosphere: Runs from the top of the
troposphere to about 48 km.


Jet planes fly here.
Temperature increase as you go up through this
layer.
Atmospheric layers:

Troposphere: Runs from the Earth’s surface to
about 12 km.



Weather that affects the planet happens here.
Temperature decreases as you go up through this
layer.
Stratosphere: Runs from the top of the
troposphere to about 48 km.



Jet planes fly here.
Temperature increase as you go up through this
layer.
The ozone is located here.
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere:
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere: Runs from the top of the
stratosphere to about 80 km.
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere: Runs from the top of the
stratosphere to about 80 km.

Meteors burn up here (shooting stars).
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere: Runs from the top of the
stratosphere to about 80 km.


Meteors burn up here (shooting stars).
Temperature decreases as you go up
through this layer (as low as –90 degrees
Celsius).
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere: Runs from the top of the
stratosphere to about 80 km.



Meteors burn up here (shooting stars).
Temperature decreases as you go up
through this layer (as low as –90 degrees
Celsius).
Thermosphere:
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere: Runs from the top of the
stratosphere to about 80 km.



Meteors burn up here (shooting stars).
Temperature decreases as you go up
through this layer (as low as –90 degrees
Celsius).
Thermosphere: Runs from the top of
the Mesosphere to about 1,000 km.
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere: Runs from the top of the
stratosphere to about 80 km.



Meteors burn up here (shooting stars).
Temperature decreases as you go up through this
layer (as low as –90 degrees Celsius).
Thermosphere: Runs from the top of the
Mesosphere to about 1,000 km.

The space shuttle orbits the Earth here.
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere: Runs from the top of the
stratosphere to about 80 km.



Meteors burn up here (shooting stars).
Temperature decreases as you go up through this
layer (as low as –90 degrees Celsius).
Thermosphere: Runs from the top of the
Mesosphere to about 1,000 km.


The space shuttle orbits the Earth here.
Temperature increase as you go up through this
layer (as high as 2,000 degrees Celsius).
Atmospheric layers:

Mesosphere: Runs from the top of the
stratosphere to about 80 km.



Meteors burn up here (shooting stars).
Temperature decreases as you go up through this
layer (as low as –90 degrees Celsius).
Thermosphere: Runs from the top of the
Mesosphere to about 1,000 km.



The space shuttle orbits the Earth here.
Temperature increase as you go up through this
layer (as high as 2,000 degrees Celsius).
The Aurora Borealis lights happen here.