Realms of Earth: The Four Great Realms: The natural systems encountered in physical geography...
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Transcript of Realms of Earth: The Four Great Realms: The natural systems encountered in physical geography...
Realms of Earth:The Four Great Realms: The natural systems encountered in physical geography operate within the four great realms, or spheres, of the Earth. These are the atmosphere; the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and the biosphere.
Lithosphere - All processes associated with the solid earth
Hydrosphere - All processes associated with water
Atmosphere - All processes associated with the gases that envelope the earth
Biosphere - All processes that involve living organisms
Four great Realms
The biosphere is the global sum of all ecosystems. The biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their interaction with the elements of the lithosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
The biosphere is postulated to have evolved, beginning with a process of biopoiesis (life created naturally from non-living matter such as simple organic compounds) or biogenesis (life created from living matter), at least some 3.5 billion years ago.
On land, the life layer is the zone of interactions among the biosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere
Biosphere
BioSphere and Four Realms of Earth.
The hydrosphere describes the combined mass of water found on, under, and over the surface of a planet.
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
A lithosphere is the rigid outermost shell of a rocky planet, and can be identified on the basis of its mechanical properties.
It comprises the crust and the portion of the
upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of years or greater
This outermost solid layer of the Earth provides a platform for most life-forms.
The solid bedrock bears a shallow layer of soil in which nutrient elements become available to organisms. The surface of the lithosphere is sculpted into landforms which provide varied habitats for plants, animals, and humans.
Lithosphere• Different Layers
Inside the Earth
Rock Formation
Thin Gaseous envelope
The gaseous layer that surrounds the Earth. It receives heat and moisture from the surface and redistributes them, returning some heat and all of the moisture to the surface. It supplies vital elements needed to sustain life forms.
Atmosphere
ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE � This diagram shows the
average global temperature of air at altitude.
� Temperature tends to decrease with altitude
� Temperature inversions (when it increases with altitude) occur where various gases cause varying rates absorption of radiation
Greenhouse gases
ENVIRONMENTAL LAPSE RATE
Atmospheric Layers
Figure 1.7
Troposphere – Temp decrease w/ heightMost of our weather occurs in this layerVaries in height around the globe, but Averages about 11 km in height.
Atmospheric Layers
Figure 1.7
StratosphereTemperature inversion in stratosphereOzone plays a major part in heating the air at this altitude
Atmospheric Layers
Figure 1.7
MesosphereMiddle atmosphere – Air thin, pressure low,Need oxygen to live in this region. Air quite Cold -90°C (-130°F) near the top of mesosphere
Atmospheric Layers
Figure 1.7
Thermosphere“Hot layer” – oxygen molecules absorb energy from solar Rays warming the air. Very few atoms and molecules in this region.