Hydrosphere Importance Quiz

The Stratosphere

• Large concentration of ozone gas is found in the stratosphere
• Ozone gas absorbs a large percentage of radiant solar energy protecting the earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays

The Mesosphere

• Coldest of the spheres, where water vapor often freezes to create clouds made of ice
• Mesosphere is separated from the thermosphere by the mesopause

The Thermosphere

• Topmost layer where many satellites circle the earth
• Temperatures rapidly increase and decrease due to thin air and proximity to the sun

The Biosphere

• Comprises all living organisms, including plants and animals
• Most living organisms found from 3 meters below ground to 30 meters above and in the 200 meters of the ocean and seas
• Biosphere relies on other spheres for survival, needing water from the hydrosphere, minerals from the lithosphere, and gases from the atmosphere

The Hydrosphere

• Refers to all forms of water in the Earth's environment
• Forms of water include oceans, lakes, rivers, snow, glaciers, water underneath the earth's surface, and water vapor in the atmosphere
• Hydrosphere is always in motion, with water flowing in rivers, streams, and the ocean
• Essential for plant and animal survival, covering approximately 70% of the earth's surface

The Lithosphere

• Evolved about 4.6 billion years ago
• Refers to the solid, rocky crust covering the entire planet

The Atmosphere

• Air surrounding the earth, always in motion and constantly changing
• Comprises about 14 different gases
• Responsible for weather, which occurs in the lower atmosphere (troposphere)
• Bottom layer of the atmosphere is the troposphere, where weather happens, and gets colder with altitude
• Separated from the next layer by the tropopause