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The Geosphere

The Geosphere. Miss Napolitano & Mrs. Rodriguez Environmental Science. The Earth as a System. The Earth is divided into 4 parts: Geosphere (rock) Atmosphere (air) Hydrosphere (water) Biosphere (living things). Discovering the Earth’s interior. Scientists use seismic waves

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The Geosphere

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  1. The Geosphere Miss Napolitano & Mrs. Rodriguez Environmental Science

  2. The Earth as a System • The Earth is divided into 4 parts: • Geosphere (rock) • Atmosphere (air) • Hydrosphere (water) • Biosphere (living things)

  3. Discovering the Earth’s interior • Scientists use seismic waves • Same waves that travel through the Earth during an earthquake • Altered by that nature of the material through which it travels • Seismologists measure changes in the speed & direction of the waves

  4. The Composition of the Earth • Earth is divided into 3 layers • Crust • Mantle • Core • Layers get progressively denser towards the center of the Earth

  5. Crust • Outermost layer • Solid • Thinnest layer • Makes up less than 1% of the Earth’s mass • 5 km – 8 km think beneath oceans • 20 km – 70 km thick beneath continents

  6. Mantle • Rock • Between the crust & core • Medium density • Makes up 64% of the mass of the Earth

  7. Core • Central part of Earth • Located below the mantle • Composed of the densest elements

  8. The Structure of the Earth • Earth can be divided into 5 layers based on physical properties of the layers • Lithosphere • Asthenosphere • Mesosphere • Outer Core • Inner Core

  9. Lithosphere, Asthenosphere, & Mesosphere • Lithosphere – solid, outer layer • Crust & upper mantle • Divided into tectonic plates • Asthenosphere – solid, plastic layer of the mantle • Made of mantlerock that flows & allows tectonic plates to move • Mesosphere – lower part of mantle

  10. Outer Core & Inner Core • Outercore – dense liquid layer • Inner core – made of mostly iron & nickel • Temperature estimated to be 4,000-5,000°C • Solid because under enormous pressure • Both the inner core & outer core make up about 1/3 of the Earth’s mass

  11. Earth’s Layers

  12. Plate Tectonics • Tectonic plates – blocks of lithosphere that glide across the underlying asthenosphere • Consist of the crust & outermost part of mantle • Continents are located on plates& move around with them • Plates may separate, collide, or slip past one another causing mountain formations, earthquakes, or volcanoes

  13. Plate Tectonics

  14. Earthquakes • Fault – break in the Earth’s crust • Earthquakes caused when rocks under stress suddenly break along a fault causing ground vibrations • Many cannot be felt • Majority take place at or near tectonic plate boundaries • Caused by stresses generated when plates separate, collide, or slip past each other

  15. Magnitude • Magnitude – measure of the energy released by an earthquake • Smallest magnitude that can be felt = 2.0 • Largest magnitude recorded = 9.5 • >7.0 magnitude = widespread damage • Increase in magnitude by a whole number means 31.7x more energy released than the number below it

  16. Earthquake Hazard • Earthquakes cannot be predicted, but an area’s earthquake-hazard level can be determined by past & present seismic activity • Earthquake-resistant buildings are slightly flexible so that they can sway with ground motion • Prevents collapsing

  17. Volcanoes • Volcano – mountain built from magma (melted rock) that rises from the Earth’s interior • Located near fault lines where plates are either colliding or separating • Most volcanoes on land surround the Pacific Ocean in the Ring of Fire

  18. Effects of Volcanoes • Clouds of hot ash, dust, & gases can flow down a volcano at speeds up to 200 km/hr • Volcanic ash can mix with water & produce mudflow • Ash can cause collapsed buildings, buried crops, damaged vehicles, & breathing difficulties • Major volcanic eruptions can change climate • Volcanic ash & sulfur can reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth’s surface, lowering surface temperature

  19. Erosion • Erosion – materials of the Earth’s surface are loosened, dissolved, or worn away & transported to another place by natural forces (wind, water, ice, gravity) • Wears down rocks & makes them smoother over time

  20. Wind & Water Erosion • WaterErosion • Erosion by rivers & oceans • Waves can erode coastlines • Wind Erosion • Wind can blow soil away quickly in places where few plants grow • Soft rocks (sandstone) erode more easily than hard rocks (granite)

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