The Dynamic Earth The Hydrosphere and Biosphere Objectives

The Dynamic Earth The Hydrosphere and Biosphere

Objectives Name three major process in the water cycle Describe the properties of ocean water Describe the two types of ocean current Explain how the ocean regulates Earth’s temperature Explain the difference between closed system and open system

The Hydrosphere and Water Cycle Hydrosphere includes all of the water on or near the Earth’s surface i. e. oceans, streams, ponds, aquifers, etc. The continues movement of water into the air, onto land, and back to it’s source is called the Water Cycle. The water cycle has three process 1. Evaporation 2. Condensation 3. Precipitation

Water Cycle: Evaporation is the process were water is heated by the sun and then enters the Earth’s atmosphere as water vapor. Water evaporates from every body of water on the Earth’s surface but the majority of the water evaporates from the oceans.

Water Cycle: Condensation is when water vapor is formed into water droplets on dust particles. This droplets form clouds where the droplets collide and stick together to form bigger and heavier droplets.

Water Cycle: Precipitation is when the droplets fall from the clouds as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Water Cycle

Earth’s Oceans The Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Indian Ocean are all connected and form the World Ocean. The World Ocean covers 70% of the Earth’s surface.

World Ocean

Earth’s Oceans The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is the 2 nd largest ocean The Indian Ocean is the 3 rd largest ocean The Arctic Ocean is the 4 th largest ocean Much of the Arctic Ocean is covered by floating ice.

Ocean Water What is the difference between ocean water and freshwater? Ocean waters contains more salt (Na. Cl) These salts come from dissolved rocks and underwater volcanic eruptions.

Dissolved Solids in Ocean Water

Temperature Zones The temperature of the ocean is divided into three zones.

Ocean: Global Temperature Regulator One of the most important functions of the world ocean is to absorb and store energy from sunlight. This regulates temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere The ocean absorbs and releases heat slower than land does which allows the temperature in the atmosphere to change slowly.

Ocean Currents There are two types of ocean currents Surface currents - streamlike movement of water that occur at or near the surface of the ocean warm-water currents cold-water currents These two currents do not affect each others temperature when they mix

Ocean Surface Current Map

Ocean Currents Deep currents - stream like currents that flow very slowly along the ocean floor Deep currents form when cold, dense water from the poles sinks below warmer, less dense ocean water and flows toward the equator. This cold dense water is found off the coast of Antarctica

Fresh Water ~3 % of all the water on the Earth is fresh water. Most of this water is locked up in icecaps and glaciers. The rest of this water is found in lakes, rivers, wetlands, soil, rock layers below the surface, and the atmosphere.

Groundwater is rain and snow that runoff the land into the ground where it is collected. This water fulfills the human need for fresh drinking water, and agricultural and industrial use. Groundwater accounts for less than 1% of all the water on Earth.

Aquifer An aquifer is a rock layer that stores and allows the flow of groundwater.

The Biosphere is the narrow layer around Earth’s surface where life exist. Biosphere consists of the uppermost part of the Geosphere, most of the hydrosphere, and the lower part of the atmosphere (troposphere) In order for life to exist there most be liquid water, temperatures most be between 10 C and 40 C, and there most be a source of energy. The Earth satisfies all of these criteria

The Biosphere Materials that organisms require must be continually cycled or renewed. Gravity on our plant maintains the atmosphere and cycles this material. The biosphere is located near Earth’s surface because this is where most of the sunlight is available.

Energy Flow in the Biosphere Energy and matter is needed in order for organisms to exist. Both of these go through a cycle in order to supply organisms with what they need to survive. Energy is constantly added from the sun and matter is added from the death of organisms. There are two types of systems or cycles for both matter and energy Closed system - energy enters the environment, but matter does not. Open system - both matter and energy are exchanged between a system and the surrounding environment