Origin and

Structure of the
earth (Subsystem)
Learning Competencies
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Describe the different characteristics of the earth

necessary for the growth and survival of life.
2. Explain that the Earth consists of four subsystems,
across whose boundaries matter and energy flow.
Characteristics of Earth that are necessary to support life

Earth is considered as a home of simple

single-celled organisms up to the most
complex life forms including humans. It is
undeniable that the planet we live in is a rare
planet as it is the only planet in our solar
system that permits life. The different
characteristics of Earth are responsible for the
proliferation of life.
1. Earth’s Atmosphere
• The presence of oxygen and carbon dioxide permits life on
Earth.
• Carbon dioxide is used by photosynthetic organisms, such as
plants and algae, to convert the energy from the sun to
usable energy through the process of photosynthesis.
• The oxygen makes it livable for living organisms including
humans for respiration and for our cells to function.
• Earth’s atmosphere also protects us from the sun’s radiation. 
• Thirty percent of the radiation is reflected away by the
atmosphere, clouds, and the earth's surface.
• Another 25% is absorbed by the atmosphere and clouds, and
the remaining 45% is absorbed by the earth’s surface.
• Ozone or O3 is composed of three oxygen atoms. In the
stratosphere, O3 is abundant in the form of the ozone layer.
• This layer absorbs the ultraviolet wavelengths, and the
absorption of this radiation heats up the air.
2. Soil and Vegetation

• The soil is a mixture of minerals, water, air, organic matter,

and organisms. It is a living medium—a medium for growth
of all kinds of vegetation.
• In return, vegetation produces trees and forests cover,
ensures the water and nutrient cycle, and prevents soil and
wind erosion. This mutual relationship of the soil and
vegetation makes our planet livable.
3. Water

• The hydrosphere contains all the water on our planet

including ice and vapor.
• Nearly three-quarters of the earth’s surface is the sea and
the ocean. The ocean houses many species of marine life and
diverse mineral resources.
4. Gravity

• Gravity is the Earth's magnetic pull towards matter which

always tries to bring us closer to the Earth's core.
• Even though every planet has some force of gravity Earth's
gravity is much greater than most other planets.
5. Sunlight

• Earth has a right distance from the Sun.

• It is protected from harmful solar radiation by its magnetic
field, it is kept warm by an insulating atmosphere, and it has
the right chemical ingredients for life, including water and
carbon. 
6. Temperature

• The average temperature of the Earth is a fundamental part

of what allows Earth to be habitable.
• Of all of the planets that have been found, Earth is the only
one known to support life.
• This "perfect" temperature exists because Earth lies in a
"Goldilocks zone" in terms of temperature, being neither too
hot nor too cold to support life.
Summary
• The atmosphere consists of 78.1% nitrogen, 20.9% oxygen, 0.9% argon, 350
ppm carbon dioxide, and other components.
• The presence of oxygen and carbon dioxide makes Earth habitable.
• Earth’s atmosphere also protects us from the sun’s radiation.
• The soil is a living medium—a medium for growth of all kinds of vegetation.
• The hydrosphere serves as a water reservoir, a source of fish and shellfish
that we consume, a thermostat and heat reservoir, and a way for
transportation.
Earth Systems
 Earth Systems

• Everything in Earth's system can be placed into one of four

major subsystems: land, water, living things, or air.
• These four subsystems are called "spheres."
• Specifically, they are the "lithosphere" (land), "hydrosphere"
(water), "biosphere" (living  things), and "atmosphere" (air).
• Each of these four spheres can be further divided into sub-
spheres.
1. Atmosphere
• The atmosphere has different layers – troposphere,
stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
• The troposphere extends to about 14.5 km above the Earth's
surface. It is the lowest layer where the weather forms.
• The stratosphere is found 14.5 to 50 km above the Earth's
surface. The ozone layer that protects the Earth from the Sun's
harmful UV radiation is found in this layer.
• The mesosphere extends from 50 to 85 km above the Earth's
surface. It protects the Earth from the impact of space debris.
• The thermosphere is found 85 to 600 km above the Earth's
surface. It has charged particles that are affected by the Earth's
magnetic field. The particles create the Auroras or Northern and
Southern lights.
• The exosphere is the farthest layer. It extends to about 10 000
km above the Earth's surface.
2. Geosphere
• The crust is the outermost layer of the geosphere. It is made
mostly of silicate materials.
• There are two different types of crust, the oceanic and
continental crusts.
• The thin oceanic crust that lies beneath the oceanic floors is
about 5 to 10 km thick.
• On the other hand, the thicker continental crust that makes up
the continents is about 15 to 70 km thick.
• The mantle, which lies just below the crust, is made mostly of
silicate rocks rich in magnesium and iron. It is about 2900 km
thick.
• It has increasing temperatures at increasing depths. For
instance, the layer with the lowest temperature is the one right
beneath the crust.
• This layer, which is soft enough to flow, causes the plates of the
crust to move. On the other hand, the layer with the highest
temperature is found in contact with the heat-producing core.
• The core, which has a radius of 3400 km, is the innermost layer
of the Earth. It is made up of iron and nickel.
• It is the source of internal heat because it contains radioactive
materials that release energy as they decay into more stable
substances.
3. Hydrosphere
• Hydro is a Greek root which means water. 
• Hydrosphere is composed of all the water on Earth in any form:
water vapor, liquid water, and ice. It is comprised of 97.5%
saltwater and 2.5% freshwater. It includes all bodies of water
such as oceans, lakes, rivers, and marshes.
• Clouds and rain are also part of the hydrosphere.
4. Biosphere
4. Biosphere
• Bio is a Greek root that means life.
• The biosphere is comprised of all living things. It includes all
microbes, plants, and animals.
• It extends to the upper areas of the atmosphere where insects
and birds can be found.
• It also reaches the deep parts of the oceans where marine
organisms can still survive.
How the Earth’s Subsystems Interact?

• Matter and energy move and cycle between the four

different subsystems. These cycles make life on Earth
possible.
• An example of these cycles is the water cycle. Water moves
between the different spheres. It absorbs, releases, and
transports energy around the world in its different forms.
What will happen if matter or energy does not change
from one form to another?

For example, what if water

vapor does not fall back to the
Earth as rain? Then the bodies
of water will be drained, and no
life on Earth will exist.
Summary
• The four subsystems of Earth are the atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
• Atmosphere makes up of all the gases in our planet.
• Geosphere includes all the soil, rocks, and minerals present in the crust to the core of the
Earth.
• Hydrosphere is composed of all the water on Earth in any form: water vapor, liquid water,
and ice.
• Biosphere is comprised of all living things and the areas where they are found. It includes
all microbes, plants, and animals.
• Matter and energy move and cycle between the four different subsystems to make life on
Earth possible.
ACTIVITY 1: Creating a Planet

On long bond paper copy and do

the following:
ACTIVITY 1: Creating a Planet
Creating a Planet: Fill up the data needed in your created
planet.

My planet is called ___. It is located in the ____. The

weather is ___. It would have ____ kind of organisms.
The individual who live there are called ___.
ACTIVITY 1: Creating a Planet
The Individual look like this. The planet look like this.
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