Earth as a System

The Water Cycle

Advances in technology have allowed scientists to study the Earth in a variety of different

ways.

Submersible

Seismometer

Satellite

Satellites and space craft allow us to view,

photograph and map Earth from Space.

Submersibles and ships allow us to view,

photograph and map the ocean floor.

Buoys and other monitoring devices provide us with data

related to events such as tsunamis and earthquakes.

Powerful computer programs called GIS (Geographic Information

Systems) help scientists organize, layer and interpret huge amounts of data in order to study how the Earth

changes over time.

Earth Systems Science studies the flow of matter and energy in and

out of the Earth’s open systems, or Spheres.

Using data from modern technology, scientists can create complex representations of how

the Earth “works”. These representations of Earth

processes are called models.

Tsunami Modeling Program

Tsunami Model

System: A part of the Universe that can be studied separately.

What is a System?

The Solar System

Example: Respiratory System

Two Types of Systems

1. Closed System: Energy may enter and leave, but matter does not. (examples?)

2. Open System: System and its surroundings freely exchange both matter and energy. (examples?)

What is the Earth? Take time to fill out your Venn Diagram and answer this Q.

The Earth’s Four Spheres

(Geosphere)

Earth Systems Science studies the flow of matter and energy in and

out of the Earth’s open systems, or Spheres.

Matter and energy move back and forth between the

different Earth spheres, and the different spheres

interact every day, all around you.

What spheres are interacting here?

Earthquakes

Tornadoes

Tornado path

Mining Minerals

Oil Exploration

Interactions among the Earth’s spheres change the spheres to

differing degrees.

These impacts can be single events, temporary changes, or ongoing change.

Single event example: meteorite impact that causes massive global

extinction

Ongoing, steady process (example: Erosion)

Cycles and the Earth

A Cycle is a series of steps that repeats.

Some cycles (water cycle) repeat over relatively short periods of time, while others repeat over millions of

years (tectonic cycle).

On Earth, the water cycle, energy cycle, carbon cycle, tectonic cycle and rock cycle “work” together to maintain a

dynamic planet.

Cloud diagram.• Each group will make a poster showing the Each group will make a poster showing the

TEN different cloud types. TEN different cloud types.

• Should include a picture (using color) of the Should include a picture (using color) of the cloud, the height the clouds form, and the type cloud, the height the clouds form, and the type of weather involved.of weather involved.

• Be neat! Be creative! Be neat! Be creative! – Sloppy work = reduced grade.Sloppy work = reduced grade.

The Carbon Cycle

• Biogeochemical cycle- compound is changed and moved throughout the Earth’s spheres

• Carbon is commonly called the “building block of life”

• Carbon is not just a solid- it forms gases such as CO2 and Methane

The Carbon Cycle

Carbon Into the Atmosphere

• Living things breathe it out

• Carbon based things (i.e. trees) burn

• Diffuses out of oceans

• Volcanoes erupt– Number 1 source of CO2 into the atmosphere

Carbon From the Atmosphere

• Oceans dissolve 40% of CO2 in the atmosphere from fossil fuels

• Wave action dissolves CO2 into ocean

• Photosynthesis- plants breathe it in, and breathe out oxygen (phytoplankton do this in ocean water)

Other ways CO2 is shared…

• Carbon stored in plants is passed on to another organism when eaten (food chain)

• Organisms die and decomposition puts carbon into the ground creating fossil fuels (oil, coal, etc.)

The Energy Cycle (Energy Budget)

• Water and carbon Cycles are like wheels

• Energy Cycle is like a balance– Energy that comes

in must equal the energy that comes out

What would happen if the

Earth’s energy budget was not

balanced?

Scenario #1

• Too much energy enters the Earth system and not enough leaves…

Scenario #2

• Too much energy leaves the Earth system and not enough enters…

Sources of Earth’s Energy

1. Solar energy- 99.895 %

2. Geothermal energy- 0.013 %

3. Tidal energy- 0.002 %

Solar Energy

• Comes from nuclear fusion reactions in the sun

• Drives wind, ocean currents, waves

• Source of energy that causes rocks to weather forming soil

Geothermal Energy• Comes from the Earth as

radioactive materials decompose

• Drives the movement of the continents, powers geysers, earthquakes, and volcanoes

Tidal Energy

•The result of the pull of the moon on the Earth’s oceans

•Slows down Earth’s rotation and causes the oceans to bulge

Energy Budget (Cycle)

Energy Budget (Cycle)

• about 40% is reflected back into space without being changed

• the remaining energy is used within the Earth system

• as it moves through the system, it is changed. With every change, a little is lost to the system.

The Effects of Earth’s Surface

• Albedo is the percentage of energy that is reflected back into space without being changed

• Earth’s average albedo: 30%• Forest has low albedo: 5-10%• Desert has high albedo: 50%• Fresh snow: 80-90%

How do we impact the

Earth?

• Humans can alter the albedo of an area, which affects the Earth’s energy budget

• We can burn fossil fuels which puts CO2 in the air, or plant trees, which takes CO2 out of the air

• Damming a river lengthens the amount of time it takes water to go through the water cycle

Why Study Earth Science?

1.Resources, Economics

2.Hazards

3.Human sustainability

4.Engineering

5.Military

6.Pure Science and Understanding

Physics Biology

Chemistry

Astronomy Oceanography

Meteorology Hydrology

The Earth Sciences

Geology

“Earth Science informs all other sciences”

And, finally, simply to understand the nature of

our own back yard.