7
1.2 A View of Earth
1.2 A View of Earth
Earth’s 4 Major Spheres
1. Hydrosphere:
All the water on Earth
2. Atmosphere: Thin gaseous envelope which surrounds the Earth
3. Geosphere:The interior & exterior of the Earth
4. Biosphere: All life on Earth
Earth as a System
What is a system?
System: a group of parts functioning together to form a complex whole.
What drives this system?
● The sun● The Earth’s interior
Changes to one part of an Earth system can create changes in another.
●
What other kinds of events might cause a chain reaction through Earth’s systems?
People and the Environment
Our actions produce changes in all other parts of the system.
Earth science vs. Environmental science
“Environmental” indicates a relationship between people and the physical world
The natural world does not always adjust to artificial changes in ways that we can anticipate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnzWDo3VFao
The Hoover Dam, began operation in 1936.Provides water and hydroelectric power to surrounding states.
Earth’s Resources
What kinds of resources do we use?
● Renewable resources can be replenished over a relatively short period of time
● Nonrenewable resources take millions of years for significant deposits to accumulate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oAW50PQ1To
