The Earth As A System

Biosphere (bio means life) • consists of all living organisms • living organisms need gases from the atmosphere, water from the hydrosphere and nutrients from the lithosphere to survive Atmosphere • layer of air around the earth • air is a mixture of gas(approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and the rest of the air consists of carbon dioxide and other gases) • the atmosphere is held around the earth by the force of gravity Lithosphere(Litho means rocks) • consists of all solid rock and soil • covers the entire planet • forms the solid part that makes up the land of the continents and the land below the oceans and seas • all minerals and metals that are mined are part of the lithosphere Hydrosphere (hydro means water) • consists of all the water on Earth in all its different forms(solid liquid gas) • about 97% of the earth’s water is salt water • 90% of the fresh water is frozen as once in the polar regions • most water needed for human consumption is obtained from rain

Igneous Rocks- Basalt and granite

Ore

The crust