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What is the Geosphere?

The geosphere is the earth itself: the rocks, minerals, and landforms of the surface and interior. Below the crust - which varies in depth from about 5 km beneath the ocean floor to up to 70 km below the land surface, temperatures are high enough for deformation and a paste-like flow of elements. At one time, roughly 200 million years ago, the continents were joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea, but since then tectonic plates have slowly separated, creating the arrangement of the continents we are accustomed to today.

Plate tectonic movement is ongoing, and humans can witness its sometimes violent activity in the form of earthquakes and volcanoes. More regularly, however, human interaction with the dynamic geosphere comes in the form of surface erosion, our use of arable land for farming, and excavations for the construction of buildings, roads, and mines.

How does the geosphere interact in the earth system?

Evolution of the continents. Fast-forward 200 million years from the time of Pangaea to the creation of the modern-day continents. (Credit: ARC Science Simulations)

While seemingly static, the geosphere is in fact a very active player in the earth's systems, affecting the atmosphere and the oceans, as well as critical processes such as the water cycle and biogeochemical cycles. For instance, the types of minerals contained in soils - the results of geologic processes - help to determine the vegetative cover and ecosystems on the soil surface. Carbon - an essential element of life - is bound in organic matter and is carried to the ocean via wind and water erosion where eventually it becomes part of the ocean floor. Tectonic movement carries ocean deposits into the earth's interior. On geologic timescales, volcanic activity can vent the stored carbon to the Earth's atmosphere as carbon dioxide. The carbon cycle is one of the key cycles linking the geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

The inner core of the earth contains liquid iron. Its motion is thought to drive the earth's magnetic field - the magnetosphere - which extends far beyond the atmosphere, protecting Earth and its biosphere from solar wind and cosmic radiation. This layer is extremely hot and advances in geothermal technology could some day enable us to harness greater amounts of heat energy from within the crust and convert it to electricity at the surface.

Soy Plantation, Amazon Brazil. With the aid of fossil fuel-powered machinery, man can make sweeping changes to the natural landscape.

How do humans interact with the geosphere?

Aside from surface disturbances such as excavations and agriculture, humans have a fairly minor impact on the workings and scale of the geosphere. Humans still live largely at the mercy of powerful geologic forces. The 2010 Haiti earthquake is just one of many examples of the impact of these forces. While we may never be able to stop earthquakes or volcanoes, studying their mechanics can enable us to better understand their dynamics so that we may continue to develop means for reducing risk to homes and people when they occur.

Journal Activity

Materials: Notebook, paper and pencil or dedicated computer file where you can keep your work.

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The Geosphere | Aspen Global Change Institute

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The geosphere is the earth itself: the rocks, minerals, and landforms of the surface and interior. Below the crust - which varies in depth from about 5 km beneath the ocean floor to up to 70 km below the land surface, temperatures are high enough for deformation and a paste-like flow of elements.

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Atmosphere | Aspen Global Change Institute

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What is the hydrosphere?

The hydrosphere is the sum of all water on Earth and the water cycle that distributes it around the planet. Earth is unique in the solar system for its abundant surface waters. Our orbital distance from the sun, in addition to our unique atmosphere, gives Earth the right temperature in our middle-aged solar system to have water as a liquid, and lots of it. Venus is too hot, Mars is too cold. Earth is just right. Noted astronomer Carl Sagan described Earth as seen from distant space as a "pale blue dot," signaling our planet as an outpost of life. It's because of the hydrosphere that life flourishes on Earth.

Just as important as the existence of water is the hydrologic cycle that moves water around the globe. Driven by solar energy, surface waters evaporate into the atmosphere, condense, and fall back to the surface as precipitation, shaping continents, creating rivers, and filling lakes. This process has eroded billions of tons of surface material from the continents to the oceans, forming the major river deltas. By far, most of the hydrosphere is salt water - around 97 percent - but the 3 percent that is fresh is critical for terrestrial and fresh water species.

How is the hydrosphere changing?
Human contributions to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are warming the earth's surface - a process which is projected to increase evaporation of surface water and accelerate the hydrologic cycle. In turn, a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor. Some evidence suggests global warming is already responsible for more extreme precipitation events. Precipitation in a warming world is also projected to lead to departures from current timing and patterns of rainfall distribution.Water Distribution Water on Earth. Most of the water on Earth is either salty or inaccessible to humans. Only 3% is fresh, and of that only about 32% is unfrozen.

The variable hydrosphere

Precipitation around the globe is highly variable - from deserts (0 to 50 cm per year) to wet rainforests (125-660 cm per year). This variability is a key attribute of productive terrestrial ecosystems. While most precipitation evaporates from and falls onto the oceans, precipitation on land dominates as a key determinant of terrestrial biological zones of the Earth. While some organisms called extremophiles have found ways to adapt to very dry, hot, frozen, or low or high pH environments, the most abundant ecosystems on Earth exist where temperatures are tropical to temperate, nutrients are plentiful, and water is available.

Global Precipitation This animation illustrates the variability of precipitation around the globe. Tropical areas in South America and Africa, for instance, may receive up to 15 mm of rain each day, while arid regions like the Sahara receive little to none at all.(Source: NASA)

How is the hydrosphere changing?

Human contributions to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are warming the earth's surface - a process which is projected to increase evaporation of surface water and accelerate the hydrologic cycle. In turn, a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor. Some evidence suggests global warming is already responsible for more extreme precipitation events. Precipitation in a warming world is also projected to lead to departures from current timing and patterns of rainfall distribution.

The Florida Keys connected by Highway One. The landscapes we enjoy today were once quite different. For example, 125,000 years ago, the Florida Keys were an underwater coral reef. Then, as the Earth settled into an ice age, sea levels fell, leaving the islands up to 120 m above sea level. Today, the low-lying islands are now at risk of re-submergence due to sea level rise that is the result of human-caused global warming.

While the exact changes are difficult to project, it is highly likely that some places will get drier while other places get wetter over the course of the 21st century as a result of global warming. For example, current climate models indicate that with global warming, high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere are likely to see more precipitation.

Changes in types of precipitation may occur as well. Some precipitation may shift to rain rather than snow. This would decrease mountain snowpack and affect the timing and quantity of seasonal runoff. Changes in the patterns of spring runoff from major snow-fed river systems, such as those that flow from the Himalayas, will impact the lives and livelihoods of upwards of a billion people who depend upon snowmelt-fed rivers for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use.

As the Earth warms, so too will the ocean. As water warms, it expands. Expansion of warming water makes up about half of the present rise in sea level. The rest of the sea level rise we are currently witnessing is the result of land-based snow and ice melting into the ocean. The melt water component of sea level is expected to make up a more significant component of sea level rise as this century unfolds. The 2013 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report found a 0.19 m rise in sea level between 1901 and 2010 and projected an additional 0.52-0.98 m of sea level rise over this century. However, recent research suggests that the amount of glacier melt could be significantly greater, raising sea level a meter or more. Island nations with little elevation above sea level are in peril, as are many countries with large coastal populations, such as the United States. Lowland settlements will be faced with a choice: whether to hold the line with engineered structures or retreat to higher ground.

IPCC 2013 sea-level rise projections: Climate change is more than just global warming. Forecasts predict shifts in precipitation and run-off patterns that will affect agricultural practices and human livelihoods. (Source: IPCC 2014)

Journal Activity

Materials: notebook, paper and pencil or dedicated computer file where you can keep your work.

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The Hydrosphere | Aspen Global Change Institute

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The hydrosphere is the sum of all water on Earth and the water cycle that distributes it around the planet. Earth is unique in the solar system for its abundant surface waters. Our orbital distance from the sun, in addition to our unique atmosphere, gives Earth the right temperature in our middle-aged solar system to have water as a liquid, and lots of it.

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Biosphere | Aspen Global Change Institute

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What are examples of Geosphere?

Examples are all the rocks and sand particles from dry land to those found at the bottom of the oceans. They also include the mountains, minerals, lava and molten magma from beneath the earth's crust. The geosphere undergoes infinite processes constantly and that, in turn, modifies other spheres.

What are 3 geosphere examples?

Earth's land makes up the geosphere. Volcanos, mountain ranges, and deserts are all part of the geosphere.

What are the 3 parts of Geosphere?

The Earth's geosphere is divided into three chemical sections: The crust, composed almost entirely of light elements, like silicon. The mantle, which is 68% of the Earth's mass. The core, the innermost layer; it is composed of very dense elements, such as nickel and iron.

What is the main function of geosphere?

The surface of the geosphere is subject to processes of erosion, weathering and transport, as well as to tectonic forces and volcanic activity, which result in the formation of landforms such as mountains, hills and plateaux.

Why is the geosphere so important?

Importance of Geosphere It is the Geosphere that controls the distribution of rocks, minerals, and soils. It also controls the difficult hazards of nature that form the land and create an impact on our life. The different Geospherical actions decide where to place the mountains in the different landforms of the Earth.

How is the geosphere affected by humans?

The geosphere is the earth itself: the rocks, minerals, and landforms of the surface and interior. More regularly, however, human interaction with the dynamic geosphere comes in the form of surface erosion, our use of arable land for farming, and excavations for the construction of buildings, roads, and mines.

What are the 5 layers of the geosphere?

What are the five physical layers of the earth?

What are the 4 main parts of the geosphere?

The geosphere has four layers: the crust, the mantle, the inner core and the outer core.

What are the 4 layers of the geosphere?

See the picture below to see the four main layers of the earth: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.

How do humans positively affect the atmosphere?

Humans affect the environment in positive and negative ways. Protecting endangered species and cleaning lakes and seas has a positive effect on the environment. At home you can help the planet by recycling waste and growing plants or vegetables.

How do humans impact Earth's subsystems?

Humans affect the quality, availability, and distribution of Earth's water through the modification of streams, lakes, and groundwater . The activities of humans have significantly altered the biosphere , changing or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of many living species.

What are the four main parts of the geosphere?

What are the 4 parts of the geosphere?

The geosphere is the collective name for the earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and cryosphere.

Why are the four spheres important?

Earth has four 'spheres,' called the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere. These spheres each have unique properties and features, but they are not isolated on Earth, and they work together to drive the processes of the planet. These interactions are essential to life on Earth.

What is the largest sphere on earth?

solid Earth

What are the component of geosphere?

The geosphere has four subcomponents: lithosphere (solid Earth), atmosphere (gaseous envelope), hydrosphere (liquid water), and cryosphere (frozen water) (fig.

What are characteristics of Geosphere?

What is the Geosphere? The geosphere is the earth itself: the rocks, minerals, and landforms of the surface and interior. Below the crust - which varies in depth from about 5 km beneath the ocean floor to up to 70 km below the land surface, temperatures are high enough for deformation and a paste-like flow of elements.

What are the 5 major parts of the Earth system?

Five parts are called the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, biosphere.

What are the major components of environment?

The basic components of the environment are atmosphere or the air, lithosphere or the rocks and soil, hydrosphere or the water, and the living component of the environment or the biosphere.

What are the 2 main components of our environment?

Components of Environment: Environment mainly consists of atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. But it can be roughly divided into two types such as (a) Micro environment and (b) Macro environment. It can also be divided into two other types such as (c) Physical and (d) Biotic environment.

What are two main components of our environment?

Two main components exist in an ecosystem: abiotic and biotic. The abiotic components of any ecosystem are the properties of the environment; the biotic components are the life forms that occupy a given ecosystem.

What are the major components of environment class 7?

The major components of the environment are-natural (land, air, water, living things), human-made (buildings, parks, bridges, roads, industries, monuments, etc.), and humans (individual, family, community, religion, educational, economic, etc).

What is the main ideas of human environment?

People modify the environment for their purposes and obtain benefits (Ecosystem Services) from it. These Ecosystem Services are essential for human well-being and include for example the provision of resources like water, timber, food, energy, information, land for farming and many more.

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Examples are all the rocks and sand particles from dry land to those found at the bottom of the oceans. They also include the mountains, minerals, lava and molten magma from beneath the earth's crust. The geosphere undergoes infinite processes constantly and that, in turn, modifies other spheres.

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What are examples of hydrosphere?

Hydrosphere

What is the difference between hydrosphere and geosphere?

The geosphere is all of the rock, land and minerals on Earth, and you can remember this because 'geo' means 'ground. ' The hydrosphere is all of the water on Earth, which makes sense since 'hydro' means 'water. 'Bio' means 'life,' so all of the living organisms on Earth make up the biosphere.

What are the main components of hydrosphere?

Answer 1: The components are oceans, freshwater, surface water, groundwater, glacial water, and atmospheric water vapour.

What is the most important sphere on earth?

geosphere

Which sphere are humans a part of?

biosphere

Which is the thinnest of Earth's spheres?

Figure 1.10: The crust is the outermost "skin" of Earth and variable thick- nesses; it is thickest under mountain ranges (70 km) and thinnest under the mid- ocean ridges (3 km).

What are the 4 Earth systems?

Everything in Earth's system can be placed into one of four major subsystems: land, water, living things, or air. These four subsystems are called "spheres." Specifically, they are the "lithosphere" (land), "hydrosphere" (water), "biosphere" (living things), and "atmosphere" (air).

What are the 7 spheres of the earth?

It defines our planet as 7 interconnected spheres - Cryosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Biosphere, Lithosphere, Magnetosphere and Technosphere.

Will Earth be able to continue to sustain life if one of the characteristics is missing?

Answer. No earth won't be able to sustain life if any of the major spheres is removed because the life on earth is present in the biosphere. Biosphere which is formed by the interaction of all the spheres of earth viz lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere which can sustain life.

Do humans live on the lithosphere?

Hover for more information. Humans live in the biosphere, anywhere on Earth that there is life. In relation to the structure of the Earth which contains the outer crust, the mantle, the outer and inner cores, life is found at the lithosphere, which is the uppermost mantle together with the crust.

What would happen if there was no hydrosphere?

We know weather happens in the atmosphere, but without the hydrosphere, there would be no water to evaporate and so no cloud or rain could form. Without oceans and land (hydrosphere and geosphere), there would be no wind (as winds are produced by differences of air temperature between the land and oceans).

How does the hydrosphere support human life?

The major importance of the hydrosphere is that water sustains various life forms and plays an important role in ecosystems and regulating the atmosphere. Hydrosphere covers all water present on the Earth's surface.

How does hydrosphere affect human life?

The hydrosphere is vital to support human existence. It provides drinking water, water for agricultural purposes, and food and nutrients from fish and plants. Its interaction with the larger atmosphere, to say nothing of the moon, are all a part of life on Earth as we know it.

What if the oceans disappeared?

Without evaporation from lakes and oceans feeding the water cycle, it would stop raining. Without pools of water to drink from, people and most animals would dehydrate and die in a matter of days. Within a few weeks, plants would start withering in the ever-drier air.

Can we live without oceans?

All life on Earth comes from the oceans... and they're still looking after us today. The oceans have protected us from the worst impacts of global warming. Our oceans have trapped 90% of the extra heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions over the last sixty years.

What would the Earth be like if it has no water?

With no water supply, all vegetation would soon die out and the world would resemble a brownish dot, rather than a green and blue one. Clouds would cease to formulate and precipitation would stop as a necessary consequence, meaning that the weather would be dictated almost entirely by wind patterns.

Will the oceans ever dry up?

Don't worry. The oceans aren't going to dry up. Eventually, only the Mariana Trench-the deepest point in Earth's oceans-has any water. But that was 12 years ago, and the video is not high resolution.

Are our oceans dying?

"Global warming, combined with the negative impacts of numerous other human activities, is devastating our ocean, with alarming declines in fish stocks, the death of our reefs, and sea level rise that could displace hundreds of millions of people."

What will happen if we don't fix ocean pollution?

Shockingly, we might have sea levels rise by as much as 19 inches by 2050. Some species of marine life will continue to migrate, while others will be killed off. A contributing factor to this is that there'll be more plastic than fish in our oceans.

Where did all Earth's water come from?

A study suggests much of the water originated in rocks from which Earth is built. AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: Water is everywhere on Earth - the clouds, the rain, the oceans and rivers, even our own bodies.

What are the 4 parts of the geosphere?

The geosphere is the collective name for the earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and cryosphere.

What is Earth's largest system?

What are the 7 spheres?

7 SPHERES® is both an illustrated scientific encyclopaedia and a card deck. It defines our planet as 7 interconnected spheres - Cryosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Biosphere, Lithosphere, Magnetosphere and Technosphere.

What are the 4 systems?

The Earth has four major systems or spheres. These systems are the geosphere, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere. The biosphere is the system where we belong.

Who Named God?

Yahweh, the god of the Israelites, whose name was revealed to Moses as four Hebrew consonants (YHWH) called the tetragrammaton. After the Babylonian Exile (6th century bce), and especially from the 3rd century bce on, Jews ceased to use the name Yahweh for two reasons.

What would happen if Adam and Eve never ate the fruit?

When God told man, not to eat from the tree of knowledge for he would surely die, it means if he doesn't eat from the tree of knowledge, Adam would surely live; hence the tree of life.

What's the name of the forbidden fruit?

Apple

Where is Garden of Eden?

Iraq

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Hydrosphere The geosphere is all of the rock, land and minerals on Earth, and you can remember this because 'geo' means 'ground. ' The hydrosphere is all of the water on Earth, which makes sense since 'hydro' means 'water. 'Bio' means 'life,' so all of the living organisms on Earth make up the biosphere.

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What does the biosphere include?

The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists-all ecosystems. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees, to the dark environments of ocean trenches, to lush rain forests, high mountaintops, and transition zones like this one, where ocean and terrestrial ecosystems meet.

What are 3 main components of the biosphere?

Parts of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere make up the biosphere. The lithosphere is the outermost layer of the Earth's crust; essentially land is part of the lithosphere.

What are 3 facts about the biosphere?

The biosphere contains all living things on earth, extending as far as 12,500 meters from the surface of the earth. The biosphere includes all plants, animals, microbes, humans, insects, and everything living.

How is Biosphere useful to us?

-The biosphere provides a base for the food chain, a food network in which material and energy are distributed through animals, contributing to complex systems that help to sustain the environment and the survival of species. -The biosphere is therefore important for the survival and life of living organisms.

Why biosphere is so important?

The biosphere plays an integral role to support the life of organisms and their mutual interactions. It is a vital element in climate regulation. Namely, a change in the biosphere triggers a change in climate.

What is the role of biosphere on Earth?

The biosphere is the global ecological system. It includes all life on Earth and all ecosystems capable of supporting life. Every living thing, every plant, every lake, and every desert is a part of it. The biosphere can be divided into several biomes.

What would happen if there was no biosphere?

So if we didn't have a biosphere, well, there would be no life on Earth. that live upon the Earth, and, all of that is dependent on the activity of the water, minerals and geologic activity, and atmosphere that supports life: So if we didn't have a biosphere, well, there would be no life on Earth.

What are the two major elements of the biosphere?

Biosphere has three basic components. These are (A) abiotic (physical and inorganic) components; (B) biotic (organic) components and (C) energy components. Let us discuss about these three components in detail.

What are the limits of biosphere?

It extends vertically into the atmosphere to about 10 km, downward into the ocean to depths of about 10.4 km and into about 27,000 ft of the earth's surface where maximum living organism have been found.

What is harmful for biosphere?

there are multiple factors harmful for biosphere. one of them is pollution. it can be water pollution. air pollution. soil pollution.

What is another word for biosphere?

What is another word for biosphere?

How is Biosphere important for the sustenance of human life?

Importance of biosphere for human sustenance: The biosphere is as imperative as life itself as it is all of life. Without the biosphere, the Earth would be a lifeless planet like Mars or Venus. Humans can have a massive impact on the biosphere, in both positive and negative ways.

How do humans interact with the biosphere?

Energy from the sun is stored by plants (biosphere). When humans or animals (biosphere) eat the plants, they acquire the energy originally captured by the plants. Humans expend some of this energy arranging bricks and wood (geosphere and biosphere) into buildings.

What is Biosphere example?

The biosphere is defined as the area of the planet where organisms live, including the ground and the air. An example of the biosphere is where live occurs on, above and below the surface of Earth. The part of the Earth and its atmosphere capable of supporting life.

What is a antonym for biosphere?

major planet region part planet. Antonyms. inside outside end misconception beginning. Etymology. biosphere (English)

How do you use biosphere in a sentence?

Biosphere sentence example. All of the ecosystems in the world make up the biosphere . Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, thus transferring carbon from the atmosphere into the biosphere , where it stays until the plant dies.

What is a biosphere quizlet?

biosphere. consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere. species. a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.

What does atmosphere mean?

1 : the whole mass of air that surrounds the earth. 2 : the gas surrounding a heavenly body (as a planet) The atmosphere of Mars is made up mostly of carbon dioxide. 3 : the air in a particular place. 4 : a surrounding influence or set of conditions an atmosphere of excitement.

What are the important terms of atmosphere?

The atmosphere is comprised of layers based on temperature. These layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. A further region at about 500 km above the Earth's surface is called the exosphere.

What are the features of the atmosphere?

Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases. These gases are found in layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere) defined by unique features such as temperature and pressure.

What are five things that make up the atmosphere?

Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 0.9 percent argon, and 0.1 percent other gases. Trace amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and neon are some of the other gases that make up the remaining 0.1 percent.

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The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists-all ecosystems. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees, to the dark environments of ocean trenches, to lush rain forests, high mountaintops, and transition zones like this one, where ocean and terrestrial ecosystems meet.

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What is special about the atmosphere?

The atmosphere is an important part of what makes Earth livable. It blocks some of the Sun's dangerous rays from reaching Earth. It traps heat, making Earth a comfortable temperature. And the oxygen within our atmosphere is essential for life.

How did the atmosphere become safe for us?

Not only does it contain the oxygen we need to live, but it also protects us from harmful ultraviolet solar radiation. It creates the pressure without which liquid water couldn't exist on our planet's surface. And it warms our planet and keeps temperatures habitable for our living Earth.

What is the meaning of atmosphere?

the gaseous envelope

What is an example of atmosphere?

Atmosphere is defined as the area of air and gas enveloping objects in space, like stars and planets, or the air around any location. An example of atmosphere is the ozone and other layers which make up the Earth's sky as we see it. An example of atmosphere is the air and gases contained inside a greenhouse.

What is atmosphere one word answer?

The atmosphere is the blanket of gases which surrounds Earth. It is held near the surface of the planet by Earth's gravitational attraction. Without the atmosphere there could be no life on Earth.

What are the five layers of atmosphere answer?

The atmosphere is comprised of layers based on temperature. These layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. A further region at about 500 km above the Earth's surface is called the exosphere.

What is atmosphere Class 9?

An atmosphere is a blanket of gases that surrounds Earth. It is held near the surface of the planet by Earth's gravitational attraction. Argon, oxygen and nitrogen from the three main constitutions of the atmosphere.

Which gas is called Breath of Life?

Air is a mixture of many gases like nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour. Oxygen gas present in air is essential to living organisms for respiration. That is why air is called breath of life.

How is oxygen maintained in the atmosphere Class 9?

Answer: Oxygen and carbon dioxide remain nearly constant in the atmosphere by the processes of photosynthesis (in plants) and respiration (in animals), respectively.

How is oxygen maintained in the atmosphere?

the level of oxygen is maintained in air by respiration in plants and animals and by photosynthesis in plants. It is maintained by the air cycle which is very similar to the water cycle. During photosynthesis, plants produce oxygen and take in carbon dioxide ( co2 ).

What are the sources of oxygen in the atmosphere Class 9?

During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight, water, carbon dioxide to create energy and oxygen gas is liberated as a by-product of this process. Sunlight: Sunlight also produces oxygen. Some oxygen gas is produced when the sunlight reacts with water vapour in the atmosphere.

What are the source of oxygen in the atmosphere?

Most of this oxygen comes from tiny ocean plants - called phytoplankton - that live near the water's surface and drift with the currents. Like all plants, they photosynthesize - that is, they use sunlight and carbon dioxide to make food. A byproduct of photosynthesis is oxygen.

What is the source of carbon dioxide?

Natural sources of carbon dioxide include most animals, which exhale carbon dioxide as a waste product. Human activities that lead to carbon dioxide emissions come primarily from energy production, including burning coal, oil, or natural gas.

Why is oxygen so important?

Oxygen fuels our cells and helps provide the basic building blocks that our bodies need to survive. Our cells combine oxygen with nitrogen and hydrogen to produce various proteins that build new cells. Oxygen is also necessary for constructing replacement cells for our bodies.

How do we get oxygen in our body?

We get oxygen by breathing in fresh air, and we remove carbon dioxide from the body by breathing out stale air. But how does the breathing mechanism work? Air flows in via our mouth or nose. The air then follows the windpipe, which splits first into two bronchi: one for each lung.

How is oxygen used in everyday life?

Common uses of oxygen include production of steel, plastics and textiles, brazing, welding and cutting of steels and other metals, rocket propellant, oxygen therapy, and life support systems in aircraft, submarines, spaceflight and diving.

Why is carbon dioxide so important?

The Short Answer: Carbon is in carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas that works to trap heat close to Earth. It helps Earth hold the energy it receives from the Sun so it doesn't all escape back into space. If it weren't for carbon dioxide, Earth's ocean would be frozen solid.

Is carbon dioxide useful to humans?

Carbon dioxide is essential for internal respiration in a human body. Internal respiration is a process, by which oxygen is transported to body tissues and carbon dioxide is carried away from them. Carbon dioxide is a guardian of the pH of the blood, which is essential for survival.

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The atmosphere is an important part of what makes Earth livable. It blocks some of the Sun's dangerous rays from reaching Earth. It traps heat, making Earth a comfortable temperature. And the oxygen within our atmosphere is essential for life.

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The antrhosphere is a sphere that describes the human presence on Earth.

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What is the anthroposphere?

The anthroposphere encompasses the total human presence throughout the Earth system including our culture, technology, built environment, and associated activities. The anthroposphere complements the term anthropocene - the age within which the anthroposphere developed. Some mark this age as beginning with the advent of agriculture, others with the industrial revolution. A growing movement within the geological community is considering establishing the anthropocene as a new geologic era, possibly starting around 1950. In physical terms, the anthroposphere is comprised of the cities, villages, energy and transportation networks, farms, mines, and ports. It also encompasses books, software, blueprints, and communication systems - the mark of civilization.

Using a broad definition of the anthroposphere, it extends beyond Earth. For example, our radio and television broadcasts of the 20th and 21st centuries travel at the speed of light as an expanding electromagnetic sphere of human origin into the Milky Way galaxy. Another more tangible example are the four NASA probes, Voyagers 1 and 2 and Pioneers 10 and 11, launched in the 1970s and now venturing beyond our Solar System. In the event of an encounter with any other intelligent life, each probe contains images and other artifacts that attempt to convey the basic characteristics of humans and their niche within the universe.

Carajàs Mine, Brazil. Nestled deep in remote Amazonia, the Carajàs mine is one of the world's largest iron ore mines. In a given year, this mine can produce 296 million metric tons of iron ore. Images like these reveal the vast amounts of resources from nature to supply their ever-growing needs, as well as the capability of humans to reshape the land.

Why a separate sphere for humans?

For much of our existence, human impact on the environment was comparable to other mammals roaming the Earth. As our numbers grew and our impact on the landscape expanded, we departed from the trajectory common to other mammals. Harnessing fire and tool-making, followed by the advent of agriculture and sustained settlements, are two critical departures from those commonalities.

Since the start of the industrial revolution in the late 18th century, humans developed the ability to harness the power of fossil fuels, transcending our role from observers to drivers of global change. Human dwellings now occupy about 8 percent of ice-free land, but about three-fourths of the land surface has been altered by humans in some way. Additionally, we have significantly altered the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen, carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus. Alteration of the carbon cycle alone has changed the pH of the oceans and the climate of Earth. Chemical inventions such as chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFCs) have altered the ozone in the stratosphere and the amount of ultraviolet light reaching Earth's surface. The footprint of our chemical activities is found in the air, water, land, and biota of Earth in the form of naturally occurring and human created molecules.

How does the anthroposphere change?

When compared with most natural changes in other spheres, change in the anthroposphere is happening rapidly. This is partly due to the rapid increase in population over the past several centuries but also as a result of the strides in technology and energy that have empowered humans to directly and indirectly affect environmental change. In terms of world population, the number of humans has soared from about 1 billion in 1800 to over 7 billion today.

Humans are the only species whose presence is recognizable from space. While humans are distributed throughout most of the land, the contrast between the luminous and dark regions of the continents reveal disparities in human development that exist throughout the globe. (Photo: NASA / Goddard Space Flight Center)

To make room for and to feed these added billions, the anthroposphere has expanded to occupy more land for dwellings and agriculture. In addition, human appropriation of fossil fuel energy and the many technologies it powers have played a major role in amplifying the influence of the anthroposphere in the Earth system. It has enabled humans to extract resources such as iron ore and bauxite, which are used to make up automobiles, skyscrapers, and countless gadgets integral to modern life. However, these activities have expanded the anthroposphere by infusing pollutants into our water and air, negatively affecting the biosphere, and bringing about global warming. As the impacts of global warming unfold, the anthroposphere will be increasingly defined by extreme climate. For example, 2015, 2016, and 2017 were the four hottest years on record, since we started gathering reliable climate data in the late 1800s.

The five hottest years on record since the 1800s have occurred since 2010. (Photo: NOAA)

A defining decision for humans this century will be to either maintain a business-as-usual course, which many experts estimate could cause widespread devastation to life on Earth, or alter the nature of human activities in order to insure greater balance between the anthroposphere and the rest of the Earth's systems.

JOURNAL ACTIVITY

Materials: Notebook, paper and pencil or dedicated computer file where you can keep your work.

1. Pick one or more of the Anthroposphere Questions.

2. Write down or sketch your answers based on your own understanding without looking anything up.

3. Ask a family member, friend, or teacher the same question(s) and write down or sketch their answers.

4. What are the common ideas in the answers you've collected? Write or sketch the common themes/ideas.

5. Come up with your own strategy for digging deeper (ask a scientist, check out university and government agency websites like NASA and NOAA, go to the library, design and conduct an experiment, etc.) until you're satisfied the answer makes sense to you.

6. Summarize what is known and unknown about the subject of the question(s). Also note what evidence there is in supporting what is known and how the evidence was obtained.

7. Rate the answer you've come up with on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being weak with lots of uncertainty, 10 being perfect.

Check out The Global Footprint Network's Footprint Calculator. This activity let's you discover your biggest areas of resource consumption, and learn what you can do to tread more lightly on the earth.

Earth Systems

About AGCI

AGCI has become an intellectual proving ground, a ferment for new ideas and concepts, and a place where the different disciplines actually talk, and progress. Hal Harvey

What We Do

AGCI has been the most prominent place for developing interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary dialogues between scientists and practitioners. Guy Brasseur

Get Involved

We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims. R. Buckminster Fuller

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Anthroposphere | Aspen Global Change Institute

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The anthroposphere encompasses the total human presence throughout the Earth system including our culture, technology, built environment, and associated activities. The anthroposphere complements the term anthropocene - the age within which the anthroposphere developed. Some mark this age as beginning with the advent of agriculture, others with the industrial revolution.

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This can be a section of the hydrosphere, this is all frozen water on Earth.

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What is the cryosphere?

The cryosphere is the sum of frozen water around the globe. By volume, the perennial ice-containing cold regions of the world are dominated by the continental ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. Sea ice and snow have much less volume but are large in areal extent. Ice sheets, snow, and sea ice play a critical role in the Earth's climate. The sunlight reflectivity, or albedo, of these vast areas of the Earth's surface are a key component of the Earth's energy balance. Large swings in the volume of water trapped as ice occur during glacial-interglacial cycles. During periods of warming, large volumes of fresh water flow into the ocean and affect ocean salinity and currents. Ice age cycles radically alter sea level by roughly 100 meters, dramatically changing coastlines. Permafrost covers large high latitude areas and hosts its own unique ecosystems. Many forms of life from polar bears to humans of the circumpolar region have adapted to life in and near the cryosphere. As the permafrost melts with higher temperatures, scientists are concerned that organic material now locked in ice will decompose releasing carbon dioxide and methane exacerbating global warming.

How does the cryosphere change?

Click to Watch
NASA cryosphere tour. Take an animated 3D tour of the cryosphere. Click to launch animation. (Source: NASA)

The state of the cryosphere - from change in mountain glaciers to the annual extent of sea ice - serves as a readily observable marker of change in climate, both historically and currently. Today, most mountain glaciers around the world are retreating. Summer sea ice extent in the Arctic is diminishing as is the thickness of old sea ice. Melting sea ice does not affect sea level rise directly but is critical as part of the Earth's energy balance. Loss of sea ice exposes the dark ocean surface, enabling it to absorb solar radiation and warm more than it would if covered in ice. However, the melting of the great ice sheets and mountain glaciers on land do contribute to sea level rise as the melt waters make their way into the ocean. During the last glaciation, sea level is estimated to be about 120m lower than today, enlarging significantly the area of continents and allowing for organisms to cross land bridges now underwater.

Human interactions with the cryosphere

In the mountainous regions of the world, snowpack serves as a frozen reservoir. As temperatures in the spring warm, the snowpack begins to melt, metering out water over the months of summer and fall. The recent widespread reductions in mountain snowpack around the globe affects summer stream flows critical for hundreds of millions of people for food production and other uses. La Paz faces this crisis today as glaciers high in the Andes retreat. City planners in the Bolivian capital are developing plans to relocate a percentage of its population as a possible adaptation to a reduced freshwater supply.

Glacier Bay, Alaska: 1941-2004 comparison. On the left, Muir and Riggs Glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park Alaska as photographed in 1941. At right, Riggs Glacier (and absence of Muir Glacier) in 2004. (Photos: William field/USGS, Bruce Molnia)

South Cascade Glacier: 1928-2000 comparison. These photos of the South Cascade Glacier in the Washington Cascade Mountains show dramatic retreat between 1928 and 2000. (Photos: USGS)

JOURNAL ACTIVITY

Materials: Notebook, paper and pencil or dedicated computer file where you can keep your work.

1. Pick one or more of the Cryosphere Questions.

2. Write down or sketch your answers based on your own understanding without looking anything up.

3. Ask a family member, friend, or teacher the same question(s) and write down or sketch their answers.

4. What are the common ideas in the answers you've collected? Write or sketch the common themes/ideas.

5. Come up with your own strategy for digging deeper (ask a scientist, check out university and government agency websites like NASA and NOAA, go to the library, design and conduct an experiment, etc.) until you're satisfied the answer makes sense to you.

6. Summarize what is known and unknown about the subject of the question(s). Also note what evidence there is in supporting what is known and how the evidence was obtained.

7. Rate the answer you've come up with on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being weak with lots of uncertainty, 10 being perfect.

Earth Systems

About AGCI

AGCI has become an intellectual proving ground, a ferment for new ideas and concepts, and a place where the different disciplines actually talk, and progress. Hal Harvey

What We Do

AGCI has been the most prominent place for developing interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary dialogues between scientists and practitioners. Guy Brasseur

Get Involved

We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims. R. Buckminster Fuller

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Cryosphere | Aspen Global Change Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The cryosphere is the sum of frozen water around the globe. By volume, the perennial ice-containing cold regions of the world are dominated by the continental ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. Sea ice and snow have much less volume but are large in areal extent.