ESC Lesson 1 & 2 | Introduction to Earth Science

Goldilocks Zone

The Earth is situated in what zone?

Goldilocks Zone

Also called circumstellar habitable zone.

This is the range of distance with the right temperatures for water to remain liquid.

Temperature, Water, Atmosphere, Energy, Nutrients

Factors that Make a Planet Habitable

Temperature

Influences how quickly atoms & molecules move.

Not Enough

• Chemicals reacts slowly

• Freezes water

Just Right

• Presence of liquid water

Too Much Temperature

• Degradation of biomolecules

• Evaporation of water

Water

Dissolves & transports chemicals within and to and from a cell.

Not Enough: Chemicals will not be dissolved or transported.

Just Right: Water is regularly available.

Too Much: not a problem, as long as it is not so toxic.

Atmosphere

Traps heat, shields the surface from harmful radiation, and provides chemicals needed for life, such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

Not Enough: Absence of insulating blanket or a protective shield.

Just Right: It keeps the surface warm & protects it from radiation & small to medium- sized meteorites.

Too Much: The surface of the planet will become too hot for life to occur.

Energy

Organisms use light or chemical energy to run their life processes.

Not Enough: Cells won’t be able to function

Just Right: Cells can run the chemical reactions necessary for life

Too Much: Makes a planet too hot. UV Rays

Nutrients

Used to build and maintain an organism’s body.

Not Enough: Life will not exist

Just Right: Life can exist

Too Much: Too many nutrients are not a problem. ▪ Too active circulation of nutrients.

System

A group of interacting or interrelated entities that form a unified whole.

Isolated system

A system that cannot exchange either energy or matter with its surrounding environment.

Closed system

A system that allows only the exchange of energy with its surroundings.

Open System

This system has external interactions. It allows the exchange of matter and energy.

Lithosphere/Geosphere

Comprises the solid Earth and includes both Earth’s surface and the various layers of the Earth's interior.

Hydrosphere

Includes all water on Earth (including surface water and groundwater).

Atmosphere

Gaseous envelope that surrounds the Earth and constitutes the transition between its components and the vacuum of space.

Biosphere

The life zone of the Earth and includes all living organisms, and all organic matter that has not yet decomposed.

Atmosphere

The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of air, which we call?

The Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere

The atmosphere consists of four unique layers, which are?

System Interaction

Typhoons (atmosphere) sweep across the ocean (hydrosphere) and onto the land (geosphere), damaging the dwellings of people (biosphere) who live along the coast.

Biosphere

The “life zone” of the Earth, and includes all living organisms (including humans), and all organic matter that has not yet decomposed.

Hydrosphere

Contains all the water found on our planet.

Lithosphere/Geosphere

The solid Earth that includes the continental and ocean crust as well the various layers of Earth’s interior.