The Four Great Realms

Lithosphere - processes associated with the solid earth

Hydrosphere - processes associated with water
Atmosphere - processes associated with the gases that envelope the earth
Biosphere - processes that involve living organisms

Inside the Earth

Lithosphere
Origin
Cooling off and
solidification
Thermal convection
currents

Present
Consists of soil, rocks
and minerals
Contains landforms
Hills, mountains, valleys

Temperature increases
up to 15C/km deep

Composition
Crust
Mantle
Core

The Crust
Outer layer
5-100 km thick
temperature ranges
between 10 to
20C/km deep
2 types of crust
Oceanic (very dense,
made of basalt)
Continental (less
dense, made of
granite)

Oceanic and Continental Crust

Types of Crust
Continental
Predominantly granitic
Granite or sialic rock--richer in aluminum and
silicon

Oceanic
Basaltic
Basalt or simatic rock--richer in magnesium and
silicon

The Mantle
Middle layer
Very thick layer
Temperature at the
core-mantle boundary
3000C

The Core
Made mostly of iron
1/3 of the earths mass
Very hot about 4000C

Earths Layers
How are the earths
layers similar to an
egg?
Shell=crust
Egg white=mantle
Yolk=core

Physical Structure of the Earth

(5 Layers)
Lithosphere- rigid outer layer (crust)
Asthenosphere- solid rock that flows
slowly (like hot asphalt)
Mesosphere- middle layer
Outer Core- liquid layer
Inner Core- solid, very dense

Tectonic Plates
Earths crust is broken into about 19
pieces
These plates move on top of the
asthenosphere

Atmosphere

The earths life giving blanket

Origin of the Atmosphere

Volcanic Eruptions
Extensive period of
global volcanic
activity
Reducing atmosphere

The present
atmosphere
Air: invisible, odorless
mixture of gases and
suspended particles
Aerosols
Water vapor

Layers of the atmosphere

4 layers
troposphere,
mesosphere,
thermosphere
stratosphere

Troposphere
the layer that is
closest to the
surface of the
earth
Its elevation
ranges from 0
to 10 km

Stratosphere
sits on top of the
troposphere
Its elevation ranges
from 10 km to around
25 km
contains the ozone
layer, which protects
us from harmful
sunlight

Mesosphere
Middle layer above
the stratosphere
Its elevation ranges
from 25 to 100 km
Temperature
diminishes with
altitude
Minimu tepmt is about
-80C

Thermosphere
highest layer of the
atmosphere
Its height ranges from
100 to 400 km
where most small
meteorites burn up
Temperature is very high
the location in the
atmosphere that the
northern lights occur
(aurora borealis)

Composition of Air
There are many
different types of
gasses in the
atmosphere
They include nitrogen,
oxygen, argon,
carbon dioxide and
other noble gasses
The gas that is most
abundant is nitrogen

Hydrosphere
Liquid part of the earth

oceans
ice caps
lakes
rivers
underground aquifers
soil water
atmosphere
living organisms

Hydrosphere
Origin

Present

Occasional
Moving, dynamic
raindrops
mass of liquid
Global deluge of
Solar energy drives
rains
hydrologic cycles
Formation of
Essential for life:
oceans, rivers, lakes
univesal solvent
and underground
water tables

Earths water budget - water cycle

97.4% salt water - only 2.6% fresh water
Of that 2.6%, over 80% is in ice caps & glaciers
0.59% is in ground water
<0.001% in atmosphere

Remainder in lakes, soil water, rivers and

organisms (in decreasing order of storage)

Global Hydrologic Cycle

(key component of the global climate
system)

Freshwater as a resource
Renewable through evaporation from the
seas and precipitation (solar powered)
Demands for freshwater include:
Human consumption (10%)
Irrigation (70%)
Industry (20%)

Demands increase with increasing

population
Unequal distribution of freshwater

Human impacts on water cycle

Global warming - may disrupt rainfall
patterns
Withdrawing of ground water faster than it
can be replenished
Pollution
Deforestation
Increased demand
Inequity of use

Sustainable use of freshwater

Methods of increasing freshwater supply
Rain barrels
Dams and reservoirs
Water purification
Desalination ($3/4,000L)
Storm water management

Summary
From the atmosphere came the
hydrosphere, just as the atmosphere
came from the lithosphere
For about 2 BY, the 3 spheres interacted
And from the interaction, about 4BY
evolved the biosphere