is the vast gaseous envelope of
air that surrounds the Earth
insulates earth from extreme
temperatures
Insolation = incoming solar radiatoin
Negative Impacts on atmosphere
= fossil fuels green house gasses
hole in ozone layer global
warming
LITHOSPHERE
Parent Material
provides starting point for soil
formation.
Rocks high in silicia are high in acidity and
have low clay content and and low fertility eg
sand stone
non acidic parent
material eg basalt are
high in iron and
magnesium. Important in
clay formation and often
fertile
Definitions
LITHOSPHERE: is the earths
surface and all its components and
inorganic mistures of rocks and soil
WEATHERING: physical
disintegration and chemical
decomposition of land
MASS MOVEMENT: down
slope movement of
weathered rock material
EROSION: the
wearing away of land
by a force of water
BIOSPHERE
The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth
where life exists. The biosphere extends from the
deepest root systems of trees, to the dark
environment of ocean trenches, to lush rain
forests and high mountaintops
Origins of the Biosphere
The biosphere has existed
for about 3.5 billion years.
The biosphere’s earliest
life-forms, called
prokaryotes, survived
without oxygen. Ancient
prokaryotes included
single-celled organisms
such as bacteria and
archaea.
HYDROSPHERE
Global Water Budget = Web definitions the balance of the volume of water coming and going between the
oceans, atmosphere, and continental landmasses