The 4 Spheres of the Earth

Spheres of the Earth

• The biosphere is the only biotic sphere of the Earth.
• The Greek prefix 'geo-' means earth or ground.

Geosphere

• The geosphere is composed of solid land in Earth's crust.
• The inner core of the geosphere has a temperature of around 5,000°C to 6,000°C (9,000°F to 11,000°F).
• The hottest layer of the geosphere is the core.
• The layer of the geosphere composed of liquid iron and nickel is the outer core.
• The geosphere is made up of the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.
• Human activities such as deforestation negatively affect the geosphere.

Atmosphere

• The word 'atmosphere' originates from the Greek words 'atmos' meaning vapor and 'sphaira' meaning sphere.
• The most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen.
• Oxygen makes up around 21% of the atmosphere.
• The stratosphere is responsible for blocking ultraviolet radiation.
• The troposphere accounts for nearly 15 kilometers above Earth's surface.
• Water vapor in the atmosphere connects the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
• The atmosphere is responsible for humidity on a muggy day.

Hydrosphere

• The majority of the water on Earth (around 97%) is present in oceans.
• Water exists mainly in the liquid form in the hydrosphere.
• The hydrosphere is connected to the atmosphere through water vapor.

Biosphere

• The biosphere is the sphere of the Earth where most organisms live, including oceans, land, and atmosphere.
• Rainfall connects the hydrosphere and biosphere.
• Some organisms can be found in the atmosphere, ice, and water within the biosphere.
• The biosphere is distinguished from the other three spheres in that it is the only one that supports life.
• The lithosphere is primarily abiotic in nature.

Interconnections

• Water vapor in the atmosphere connects the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
• Rainfall connects the hydrosphere and biosphere.
• The biosphere is affected when humans cut down trees for industrialization.