Chapter 1: Earth as a System

Science is:

Any system of knowledge which

tries to observe, identify, understand

and describe the nature of the

Universe in whole or part.

Science explains and predicts

the interactions and

dynamics of complex Earth

systems.

Science involves unbiased

observations and study, and

systematic experimentation

(Scientific Method) carried on in

order to determine the nature of

what is being studied.

Science enables you to understand your

world.

Every time you try to find out how and

why things look and act the way they do,

YOU ARE ACTING LIKE A SCIENTIST!

Why Study Earth Science??

Earthquakes

Tornadoes

Tornado path

Mining Minerals

Oil Exploration

Why Study Earth Science?

1.Resources, Economics

2.Hazards

3.Human sustainability

4.Engineering

5.Military

6.Pure Science and Understanding

The objective of Earth Science is to

understand the history of the Earth and

how it will behave in the future, to find and

manage the Earth’s natural resources on

which our civilization depends…

And, finally, simply to

understand the nature of our own

back yard.

Earth Science Disciplines

Geology

Oceanography

Hydrology

Astronomy

Meteorology

Geology is the study of Earth, its matter, and the

processes that form and change Earth. Some of

the things Geologists look at are volcanoes,

earthquakes, maps, fossils, mountains, and land

uses.

Meteorology is the study of weather and

the forces and processes that cause it.

Meteorologists study storm patterns,

climates, and what factors causes our daily

weather.

Astronomy is the study of objects in space, including

stars, planets, and comets. Astronomers study space

objects and seek evidence about the beginning and

future of the universe.

Oceanography is the study of Earth’s

oceans. Oceanographers study the processes

that occur within oceans and the effects

humans have on these processes.

Hydrology is the study of the Earth’s fresh

water, and its interaction with the land, as part

of the water cycle. Hydrologists help provide

information needed to find adequate supplies

of fresh water. They also study floods and

water pollution.

Physics Biology

Chemistry

Astronomy Oceanography

Meteorology Hydrology

The Earth Sciences

Geology

Chapter 1.1 Earth Systems Science

Advances in technology have allowed

scientists to study the Earth in a

variety of different ways.

Submersible

Seismometer

Satellite

Satellites and space craft allow us

to view, photograph and map

Earth from Space.

Submersibles and ships allow

us to view, photograph and

map the ocean floor.

ROV’S

Buoys and other monitoring

devices provide us with data

related to events such as tsunamis

and earthquakes.

Powerful computer programs called GIS

(Geographic Information Systems) help

scientists organize, layer, query and

interpret huge amounts of collected data in

order to study how the Earth changes over

time.

Layering of Elevation and Vegetation Data

What data do you

think this image

displays?

The information collected from this

technology has provided scientists with

an understanding that the Earth’s

spheres are strongly connected and

interactive, and that the Earth is more

than a collection of separate parts.

This new method of studying the Earth

is called: Earth Systems Science.

Earth Systems Science

Using data from modern technology,

scientists can create complex

representations of how the Earth

“works”. These representations of

Earth processes are called models.

Tsunami Modeling Program

Tsunami Model

A System is defined as: A part of the

Universe that can be studied separately.

What is a System?

The

Solar System

Example: Respiratory System

System models can be used to study what

happened in the past, what is currently

happening, and what might happen in the

future.

Galactic Collision

Earth Science is the study of our planet’s

interacting systems, its place within the

solar system, and the universe beyond

the earth.

• Closed Systems – energy can be

exchanged, but matter can not (it

doesn’t enter or leave the system).

• Open Systems – energy and matter

are freely exchanged between the

system and its surroundings.

Closed Systems - ________ can enter,

but ________ doesn’t enter or leave.

ENERGY

MATTER

•http://thefutureofartificialintelligence.blogspot.com/2008/11/ai-132-artificial-intelligence-agents.html

•http://swervechurch.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/snow_globe.jpg

Can energy in the form of light enter?

Can energy in the form of heat enter?

Can my soda (matter) come out?

Can the buildings (matter) leave the snowglobe?

Open Systems - __________________

are freely exchanged between the system

and its surroundings.

ENERGY and MATTER

http://www.displayit-info.com/food/images/drinks/2120.JPG

Energy and matter are able to be

exchanged in this system.

Soda and ice (matter) can be put

back into glass, or can spill out of

glass into the environment.

Main Pass Energy Hub

Initial design had open-loop system

(sucked up seawater to cool the

operating units).

Earth Systems Science studies the

flow of matter and energy in and

out of the Earth’s open systems,

or Spheres.

Chapter 1.2

The Earth’s Four Spheres

Geosphere

Matter and energy move back and forth

between the different Earth Spheres, and the

different spheres interact every day, all

around you.

Can you think of some examples of how

this is so?

Geosphere and _______?

Atmosphere and ______?

Geosphere and _______?

_________ and _______?

Interactions among the Spheres

Volcanoes (___________) erupt,

sending ash and gases into the

air (____________), and sending

lava and ash down on surrounding

forests (____________) and human

habitations (____________).

Interactions among the Spheres

Hurricanes (____________)

Sweep across the ocean

(____________), and onto the

Land (____________), damaging

The dwellings of people

(____________) who live along

The coast.

Interactions among the Earth’s

spheres change the spheres to

differing degrees.

These impacts can be single events,

temporary changes, or ongoing change.

Single event example: meteorite impact

that causes massive global extinction)

Ongoing change, steady process

(example: Erosion)

Section 1.3: Cycles and the Earth

Focus Question: What are Cycles, and how do they work?

Key Vocabulary:

Cycle Carbon Cycle

Evapotranspiration Tectonic Cycle

Geothermal Energy Rock Cycle

Solar Energy Water Cycle

Tidal Energy Energy Cycle

Albedo

Cycles and the Earth

A Cycle is a series of steps that repeats.

Some cycles (water cycle) repeat over

relatively short periods of time, while

others repeat over millions of years.

On Earth, the water cycle, energy cycle,

carbon cycle, tectonic cycle and rock cycle

“work” together to maintain a dynamic

planet.

The Water Cycle

What is Happening?

Carbon Cycle

• Carbon is the building block of life.

• On Earth it is present in all organic

materials and in materials that are derived

from once living things (such as coal and

oil)

Carbon Cycle

• Carbon is found in:

– The atmosphere (mostly as CO2)

– Living things: Trees and plants

(they breath in carbon from the

atmosphere) and animals (like

humans – we exhale carbon)

– Oceans

– Sediments

– Fossil Fuels

The Carbon Cycle

The Rock Cycle• The rock cycle describes the dynamic

transition, over geologic time, between the three

main rock types: Sedimentary, Metamorphic

and Igneous.

• Rocks are changed or destroyed when they are

forced out of equilibrium conditions, due to the

driving forces of plate tectonics and the water

cycle that expose rocks to new environments.

•Through these processes each rock type can

become transformed into another rock type.

The Rock Cycle

Tectonic Cycle

•The Earth’s geologic history is one of continents rifting

and diverging, forming new ocean basins, followed by

motion reversal and convergence back together, plate

collision and mountain-building (formation and

destruction of supercontinents and ocean basins).

• The plate tectonic cycle is driven by earth’s internal

heat and results in the slow but continuous recycling of

material through the mantle and back up into the crust.

• This cycle of opening and closing oceanic basins, and

rifting and converging continents is called a “Wilson

Cycle”.

Tectonic Cycle

Tectonic Cycle

• The Tectonic Cycle rebuilds the land

and prevents the Earth’s surface from

being weathered and eroded to sea-level

or below.

• The Tectonic Cycle brings minerals that

are vital to human civilization to the

Earth’s surface.

Energy Cycle

• The water and carbon cycles are like wheels

with water and carbon continually moving

back and forth between the spheres.

• The energy cycle is more like a scale.

• The amount of energy that enters the system

should equal the amount of energy that is

removed.

• Earth’s energy cycle is also called the “energy

budget”.

Energy Cycle

• There are 3 main sources of energy

for the Earth’s energy budget:

– Solar Energy (~ 99%)

–Geothermal Energy (~ 0.01%)

–Tidal Energy (~0.002%)

Energy Cycle –

Solar Energy

• Solar Energy –

comes from nuclear

fusion reactions in

the sun.

– Drives the winds,

ocean currents,

and waves

Energy Cycle –

Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal Energy

– originates in the

Earth from the decay

of radioactive

materials.

– Drives the

movement of the

continents, powers

volcanoes, geysers,

and earthquakes.

Energy Cycle –

Tidal Energy

• Tidal Energy – a

result of the pull of

the moon on the

Earth’s oceans

– Slows down

Earth’s rotation

and causes the

oceans to bulge.

Energy Cycle

• To maintain the balance of the energy

cycle/budget the incoming energy must go

somewhere.

• About 40% is reflected back into space

without being changed.

• The remaining energy is used within the

Earth’s systems.

• As energy moves through the Earth’s system,

it is changed. With every change a little bit of

energy is lost to the cycle.

Is Earth an Open or Closed System??

• http://www.all-creatures.org/hope/img/earth-light.jpg