Earth Science- Classzones

Classzone Assignment
1) Looking at the image, what are the major parts of our planet that can interact as a system? There are four major parts of our planet that can interact as a system and they are the four spheres. The four spheres are the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and the hydrosphere. 2) Describe each of Earth’s four spheres. List several examples of features in each sphere. The geosphere; mountains, rocks, dirt

The hydrosphere; oceans, lakes, rivers, snow, hail, rain, and ice caps The atmosphere; oxygen, hydrogen, water vapor, nitrogen, ozone The biosphere; plants, humans, bacteria, mammals
3) Do you think clouds should be classified as part of the atmosphere, or part of the hydrosphere? Explain Water droplets are what make up a cloud so when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses to a liquid or solid it’s then a part of the hydrosphere. 4) In each image, look for evidence of materials and energy moving among the spheres.

a. List the major features in the image and tell which sphere each one represents.

b. Describe sphere interactions you can infer from the scene.

c. Whenever possible, follow the results of an interaction through all four spheres.

Tropical Island, Palau Islands Forest fire, Montana, U.S.A. When land is above the sea plants are then able to succeed. When the forest (biosphere) burns it is (Land: geosphere, sea: hydrosphere, plants: biosphere) adding energy to the atmosphere and bringing materials to land (geosphere). Oil wells burning, Kuwait and the Persian Gulf Suez Canal, Egypt When oil drilled from the ground reacts with the atmosphere This canal cuts through land and it
releasing energy into the atmosphere. shows that humans changed the land to connect two parts of an ocean. Wind farm, Norfolk County, England Mount Etna, a volcano on the island of Sicily, Italy Humans use metal and plastic to get energy Lava and heat energy are released into the from the atmosphere. atmosphere. 5) List some Earth sphere interactions that result from your own daily activities Breathing is one example because humans who are a part of the biosphere breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide (atmosphere). Another is when I (biosphere) drink water (hydrosphere). 6) Describe some human activities that are contributing to global-scale interactions among Earth’s spheres Global warming is a major issue among us and the reason why it is happening is because as humans we have become so dependent on fossil fuels in our daily lives. As the population continues to increase the consequences could become worse.