Earth Systems - Chapter 3 Lesson 1

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing Earth systems, the five spheres, and their essential characteristics based on Chapter 3 Lesson 1.

System

A group of parts that work together as a whole.

Four Basic Earth Components

The four main environmental components that make up Earth: Living things, Water, Air, and Land.

Geosphere

The sphere containing most of Earth's mass in the form of rocks and metals, which includes the solid metal inner core, liquid metal outer core, rocky mantle, crust, continents, islands, and ocean floors.

Biosphere

The part of Earth that contains all living organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.

Atmosphere

The mixture of water vapor and other gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, as well as dust particles, that surrounds Earth's surface.

Hydrosphere

The sphere that makes up all the water on Earth, covering a little less than $\frac{3}{4}$ of Earth's surface, most of which is salty ocean water.

Cryosphere

The frozen component of the hydrosphere, made up of all the ice and snow on land plus sea and lake ice.

Biosphere Life Support System

The combination of Earth's spheres that allow organisms to live by providing water (hydrosphere), air (atmosphere), and soil and shelter (geosphere).

System

a group of parts that work together as a whole

Earth

a system made of spheres that interact with each other, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere.