Spheres Of The Earth PDF

SPHERES OF THE EARTH BACHELORS OF SCIENCES HONS IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE BSSI 11033 FIRST YEAR FIRST SEMESTER Ms. Dhanushika Pilapitiya...

SPHERES OF THE EARTH BACHELORS OF SCIENCES HONS IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE BSSI 11033 FIRST YEAR FIRST SEMESTER Ms. Dhanushika Pilapitiya B.A. (Sp) in Geography, M.Sc. In Geoinformatics (Reading) Department of Indigenous Social Sciences Faculty of Indigenous Social Sciences and Management Studies 1 GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE ©  LEARNING OUTCOMES  Understand the Earth’s different spheres.  Identify the each spheres’ Characteristics. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 2  INTRODUCTION  Everything in earth’s system is placed into several subsystems.  Those subsystems are known as spheres.  “Sphere” is a Greek term which means ball.  Specifically they are known as Geosphere (land) Hydrosphere (Water) Biosphere (Living things) Atmosphere (Air) GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 3   These spheres are so closely connected to each other.  So, one change in a sphere often results in a change in one or more of the other spheres.  Interaction also occur among spheres. For example: Hydrosphere and Atmosphere: The evaporation that occurs in the hydrosphere forms the medium for cloud and rain formation in the atmosphere GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 4 GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 5  GEOSPHERE  The earth's minerals and rocks, from molten rock and heavy metals deep within the planet to sand on beaches and mountain tops, are collectively referred to as the geosphere.  The abiotic (non-living) components of soils and animal bones that could become fossilized throughout geologic time are also included in the geosphere.  The Geosphere is associated with solid portions of the Earth.  It comprises all other layers of the Earth's interior as well as the crusts of the oceans and continents.  The Earth System interacts with the Geosphere in the following ways: GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 6 GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 7   Rock Cycle also a process which happens in this geosphere. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 8   The movement of Earth's tectonic plates, which produces mountains, volcanoes, and ocean basins, is the main force behind these activities.  Variations in the creation and destruction rates of rocks can have a significant impact on the Earth.  Over geologic time spans, the rate of plate tectonic movements has altered, resulting in changes to the rock cycle that have an impact on the climate.  For instance, there has been increased volcanic activity during periods of significant plate movement, which releases more particles into the atmosphere. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 9   More mountains are formed in regions where plates converge as a result of faster plate tectonic movements.  When rocks are pushed upward to form mountains, they begin to erode and disintegrate, releasing nutrients and sediments into streams. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 10  THE STRUCTURE O THE GEOSPHERE GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 11  THE STRUCTURE O THE GEOSPHERE - CRUST  The outermost layer of the earth.  It is just like a peal of an apple.  Very thin layer.  The crust varies in thickness, but it is only rarely more than about 50 km thick, which is nothing compared to the nearly 6370 km to earth’s very center.  However, with its mountains, valleys, continents, ocean bottoms, and other features, this thin, microscopic layer is what we refer to as "the earth".  Because of its modest density (2.5 to 3.5 gm/cm3), the crust can float on top of the mantle's higher density.  Like the crusts of many other planets, the crust of Earth is fragile and fractures readily.  There are actually two types of crust, continental and oceanic. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 12  Massive granite boulders, volcanic lava flows, and sediments deposited in shallow water or continental seas make up the continental crust.  It is fairly thick, extending below sections of 80-kilometer mountain ranges and averaging 30 to 40 kilometers.  However, it is composed of rocks with lesser densities, such granite and andesite. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 13  The shallow, barely 5 to 10 km deep oceanic crust is composed of relatively thick basalt rock, which may be covered in gabbro, a similar-grained but coarser rock.  It also has a higher percentage of magnesium in it.  Although the bottom crust's composition is unknown, gabbro is most likely its makeup.  It is penetrated by seismic waves more quickly than the top crust.  The sharp boundary between the crust and mantle is called the Mohorovičić discontinuity or Moho. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 14  THE STRUCTURE O THE GEOSPHERE - MANTLE  The mantle is a complicated intermediate zone that lies under the crust.  Mantle is the widest section of the Earth.  Between the molten core and the crust is a wide layer of hard rock and metal oxides.  The mantle makes up around 82% of the Earth's volume and reaches a depth of about 2900 km.  It is believed that peridotite, a form of rock consisting of iron, magnesium, silicon, and oxygen, makes up the majority of the mantle.  The reason behind the plates of the Earth moving is the movement of the mantle. Its temperature varies between 1600 Fahrenheit at the upper part to 4000 Fahrenheit near the bottom.  Gutenberg discontinuity seperates the mantle from the core. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 15  THE STRUCTURE O THE GEOSPHERE - CORE  It is both the Earth's center and its hottest layer.  The core is composed of mostly iron and nickel and remains very hot, even after 4.5 billion years of cooling.  Unlike the mineral-rich crust and mantle, the core is made almost entirely of metal— specifically, iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni).  Another key element in Earth’s core is sulfur—in fact 90 percent of the sulfur on Earth is found in the core. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 16  The fluctuating temperatures in the core depend on pressure, Earth's rotation, and the varying composition of core elements.  In general, temperatures range from about 4,400° Celsius (7,952° Fahrenheit) to about 6,000° Celsius (10,800° Fahrenheit).  The core is made of two layers: the outer core, which borders the mantle, and the inner core.  The boundary separating these regions is called the Bullen discontinuity.  The outer core, about 2,200 kilometers (1,367 miles) thick, is mostly composed of liquid iron and nickel.  The outer core is very hot, between 4,500° and 5,500° Celsius (8,132° and 9,932° Fahrenheit). GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 17  The inner core is a hot, dense ball of (mostly) iron.  It has a radius of about 1,220 kilometers (758 miles).  Temperature in the inner core is about 5,200° Celsius (9,392° Fahrenheit).  The inner core's temperature is far higher than iron's melting point.  The inner core, however, is neither liquid or even molten, in contrast to the outer core.  The iron is kept from melting by the extreme pressure of the planet's inner core, which encompasses the entire planet and its atmosphere. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 18  ATMOSPHERE  The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth.  Atmosphere is a protective layer of gases that shelters all life on Earth, keeping temperatures within a relatively small range and blocking out harmful rays of sunlight.  We know the earth’s atmosphere is a vital element for living.  The atmosphere is the layer of invisible gases surrounding the earth.  The reason why earth features living beings is because of the atmosphere.  Helps retain the sun’s heat and prevents it from escaping back into space.  Protects life from harmful radiation from the sun.  Plays a major role in Earth’s water cycle.  Helps keep the climate on Earth moderate. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 19 COMPOSITION OF ATMOSPHERE – GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 20 LAYERS IN ATMOSPHERE  Earth atmosphere is like a envelop of gas surrounding the earth changes from the ground up.  Mainly there are 5 layers in Atmosphere.  There are mainly identified using,  Thermal characteristics (temperature changes),  Chemical composition  Movement  Density. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 21 TROPOSPHERE  Known as the lower atmosphere almost all weather occurs in this region.  The troposphere contains 75% of the atmosphere's total mass.  In either space or time the troposphere is not constant.  Weather occurs in the troposphere.  The troposphere is 10 miles from the equator.  The troposphere is 5-7 miles above the poles.  As the density of the gases in this layer decrease with height, the air becomes thinner.  Therefore, the temperature in the troposphere also decreases with height in response. As one climbs higher, the temperature drops from an average around 62°F (17°C) to -60°F (-51°C) at the tropopause. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 22 STRATOSPHERE  The stratosphere is the stable (stratified) layer of atmosphere.  The stratosphere is highly stable because the air temperature increases with height up to the stratopause, which is the height of the temperature inversion.  This layer holds 19 percent of the atmosphere's gases but very little water vapor.  This layer is record higher temperature than the troposphere  The stratosphere is where you'll find the very important ozone layer. The ozone layer helps protect us from ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun.  Heat is produced in the process of the formation of Ozone and this heat is responsible for temperature increases from an average -60°F (-51°C) at tropopause to a maximum of about 5°F (- 15°C) at the top of the stratosphere. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 23 MESOSPHERE  The mesosphere (after Greek mesos = middle and sphaira = ball) is in the middle of the five layers of the Earth's atmosphere.  The mesosphere extends from about 50 km to 80-90 km altitude above Earth's surface.  The mesosphere is the coldest region of Earth’s atmosphere, close to -100°C.  The temperature of the mesosphere decreases as the altitude increases.  It’s the layer of the atmosphere where meteors burn up into small fragments of dust.  The air is very thin in the mesosphere similar to a vacuum. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 24 THERMOSPHERE  This layer is known as the upper atmosphere.  The thermosphere is the atmospheric region from 85km to 500 km altitude  While still extremely thin, the gases of the thermosphere become increasingly more dense as one descends toward the earth.  It is characterized by high temperature and large variability.  Its temperature changes with solar activity.  Incoming high energy ultraviolet and x-ray radiation from the sun begins to be absorbed by the molecules in this layer and causes a large temperature increase.  Because of this absorption, the temperature increases with height. From as low as -184°F (-120°C) at the bottom of this layer, temperatures can reach as high as 3,600°F (2,000°C) near the top.  However, despite the high temperature, this layer of the atmosphere would still feel very cold to our skin due to the very thin atmosphere. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 25 EXOSPHERE  The outermost layer of the atmosphere and the layer above the thermosphere is the exosphere.  Exosphere is derived from the Greek word, where ‘exo’ means outer or external.  Its purpose is to help as a transitional medium to a gravity-influenced zone.  It also helps atoms to escape from the atmosphere and into space.  It is the only layer of the atmosphere that has a distinct form, as opposed to the other layers.  Air density in this region is extremely thin  Exosphere is considered to be the best region to place the satellite. Many satellites, including the notable International Space Station (ISS), orbit within the exosphere or below. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 26 WEATHER AND CLIMATE  Weather describes short term atmospheric conditions.  Climate is the average weather over long periods of time. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 27 WEATHER ELEMENTS  The elements of weather are those quantities or properties that are measured regularly.  They are, Air temperature Atmospheric pressure Wind Humidity Precipitation GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 28 AIR TEMPERATURE  When heat energy falls into a surface or an object, the moving speed of particles is rapidly increase.  In science this new energy is known as temperature.  Air temperature defines as the new energy output result from the movement of air molecular due to heat energy falls from the solar radiation.  Air temperature is very important due to several reasons.  Air temperature generally affect to air pressure. When temperature increase air pressure getting decrease.  When temperature of a certain air, increases, the water holding capacity of that air also increasing.  Hence, this air can absorb more water vapour from the surrounding environment.  So, the evaporation can be high. Like wise air temperature can affect to evaporation. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 29   There are 2 major temperature measurements use in weather forecasting. 1. Maximum daily temperature 2. Minimum daily temperature GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 30 ATMOSPHERIC HUMIDITY  In humidity, there are 2 min concepts. 1. Atmospheric moisture 2. Air humidity  Air humidity means amount of water vapour or amount of moisture within the air.  There are major measurements of humidity. 1. Absolute Humidity 2. Relative humidity 3. Specific humidity 4. Saturation GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 31  Amount of water vapor hold by an air unit volume of air under a certain temperature condition is known as “Absolute humidity”.  Amount of water vapor hold by an air unit volume of air under a certain temperature is expressed as a percentage from the total amount of water vapor that air unit could actually hold at the given temperature known as “ Relative humidity”  Specific humidity is the ratio of the mass of water vapor hold by an air unit under a certain temperature to the total mass of water vapor the air can actually hold.  Saturation is when relative humidity is 100%. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 32 PRECIPITATION  Rain, snow hail or frost that falls to ground from the atmosphere referred as precipitation.  Rainfall is the prime way of precipitation in the tropical region while in temperate and high latitudinal areas it receive as snow fall.  The amount of rain that falls in to a place within a certain period of time is known as rainfall.  When it considered as a measurement, it measures the height of water that receive from rain to an area.  Therefore rainfall often measures in mm, cm or inches. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 33 GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 34 WIND  Wind is the movement of air, caused by the uneven heating of the Earth by the sun and the Earth's own rotation.  Air in motion is called wind.  From high pressure regions to low pressure regions, air molecules typically migrate.  In theory, the equator should receive a gust of cold, dense air from the Polar regions, which would fill the space created when heat warms the air and causes air molecules to rise and spread out.  These air currents, however, are affected by the Earth's rotation, which causes them to deflect to the left in the Northern Hemisphere and to the right in the Southern Hemisphere.  We refer to this as the Coriolis Effect.  The existence of mountains and the uneven heating of the Earth's surface are two more geographical characteristics that have an impact on wind direction and speed. Long-distance transmission of heat, cold, moisture, and dust is accomplished by winds. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 35 AIR PRESSURE  Since wind is the movement of air from high to low pressure, atmospheric pressure and wind are closely related concepts.  The wind speed increases with the pressure differential.  The weight of the atmosphere, or air, on Earth's surface is known as atmospheric pressure.  When the ground surface is heated by the Sun, it warms the air that comes into touch with it.  This causes the air molecules to expand and rise, making the air parcel lighter.  This is known as low pressure. When air cools and reaches a particular height, condensation will happen if there is also moisture present in the air.  Warm, humid air rises continuously in an area, creating low pressure systems. Systems of high pressure arise as dense, colder air sinks. GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 36 ACTIVITY  Write short note about weather elements.  No word limit  You can either write or type  Submit before 4.00 p.m. On 19th May 2024  [email protected] GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 37  THANK YOU !!! GAMPAHA WICKRAMARACHCHI UNIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE © 38