Environmental Science Introduction and Natural Resources 1.1

Introduction to Environmental Science

• The word "Environment" is derived from the French word "Environ", meaning "surrounding".
• Environment includes biotic factors (living organisms) and abiotic factors (non-living components).
• The environment is a complex system consisting of water, air, land, and the interrelationships between them and human beings.

Components of Environment

• The environment is classified into four major components: Hydrosphere, Lithosphere, Atmosphere, and Biosphere.
• Hydrosphere: includes all water bodies (lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and oceans) and functions in a cyclic nature (hydrological cycle or water cycle).
• Lithosphere: refers to the mantle of rocks constituting the earth's crust, including soil, earth rocks, and mountains, divided into three layers (crust, mantle, and core).
• Atmosphere: the layer of air that envelopes the earth, containing gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide, protecting the solid earth and human beings from harmful sun radiations, composed of five concentric layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere).
• Biosphere: also known as the life layer, refers to all organisms on the earth's surface and their interactions with water and air, including plants, animals, and micro-organisms.

Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

• Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences to study the environment and solve environmental problems.
• Environmental science provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems.
• Related areas of study include environmental studies and environmental engineering, which incorporate social sciences to study human societies and their interactions with the environment.

Learn the basics of environmental science and natural resources with this introductory quiz. Explore the concept of environment, including both biotic and abiotic factors, and the interrelationships among living organisms. Test your knowledge of water, air, land, and environmental variables.