Global Systems

What is the Biosphere?

the region at the surface of the earth where all life exists.

What does the Biosphere consist of?

all ecosystems on earth and extends into all other spheres as living things are found in the air water and soil.

What is the biosphere influenced by?

Environmental factors which determine the type of vegetation that can survive in an area.

What is the atmosphere?

a layer of gasses that surrounds the earth

What does the Atmosphere help?

helps make life possible by providing air to breath and shielding us from harmful UV rays from the sun, trapping hear to warm the planet and reducing temperature extremes.

How many layers is the atmosphere broken into?

5 layers

• troposphere (lowest layer)

• Stratosphere (upper layer which also contains ozone layer)

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Exosphere

What is the ozone layer?

a protective barrier of ozone that helps protect our planet from harmful rays

What is the hyrosphere?

the total amount of water on a planet

What does the hydrosphere include?

water that is on the surface of the planet, underground and in the air.

What is the Lithosphere?

It is the solid, outer part of Earth (land). Earth’s rocky crust and soil.

What is the lithosphere divided into?

Tectonic plates

What element is all life based on?

Carbon

A major chemical constituent of most living matter

What movement is the global carbon cycle

Where carbon moves in complex chemical and physical transfers from sources or reservoirs, where carbon is released, to sinks, where carbon is taken up.

Sources of Carbon cylce

carbon is present in various organic and inorganic compounds within the biosphere

Carbon in Hydrosphere

dissolved carbon dioxide

Carbon in Lithosphere

coal or oil deposits and as rocks such as limestone

Carbon in Atmosphere

methane or carbon dioxide

Carbon in living things

Proteins, carbohydrates or lipids

How does carbon move through the biosphere?

From non-living atmosphere to living organism when CO₂ is absorbed by photosynthetic organisms (eg: plants)

Key processes of how carbon moves through the biosphere

Photosynthesis

• converts CO₂ into organic matter

Cellular respiration

• Releases CO₂ back into the atmosphere

each carbon reserve has limited capacity.

What does carbon gases released into the atmosphere do?

it increases earths temperature

What is photosynthesis?

Food-making process in plants that takes place in chloroplasts, and uses carbon dioxide, water and energy from the sun.

sunlight

carbon dioxide + water ————-→ glucose + oxygen

chlorophyll

What is cellular respiration?

The chemical reaction involving oxygen that moves the energy in glycose into the compound ATP

glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

What is weather? (what you get)

conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time

• can change within minutes or hours

What is climate? (what you expect)

How the atmosphere behaves over a long period of time and space

• average regional weather pattern over decades

What is the greenhouse effect?

It is where gases act like a giant greenhouse to keep the earth warm.

it is critical for maintaining life

What do greenhouse gases include?

Carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.