The usage of the term “Earth System” to describe the components of processes operating on this planet.
Answer to Problem 1RQ
The term “Earth system” deals with interaction between atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, pedosphere, and biosphere reservoirs of the Earth.
Explanation of Solution
“The global interconnecting web of physical and biological phenomena on the Earth is termed as the Earth System”. The Earth system is a dynamic integrated system, which deals with the interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes.
At the surface of the earth, the interaction between many components of the earth system takes place; the lithosphere which constitutes the soil, sediment, and rock; the hydrosphere which constitutes the liquid water in oceans, lakes, streams, and groundwater; the cryosphere which constitutes the solid water of glaciers; and the atmosphere which constitutes the planet's gaseous envelope.
The biosphere denotes the innumerable species of life ranging from invisible bacteria to massive whales and trees. There are two dynamic exchanges of energy fuel that happens between the reservoirs of the Earth system; they include external energy from solar radiation and internal energy from the earth’s interior.
The reservoirs of the earth undergo change. The objective of the Earth’s system involves “global change which deals with the transformation of physical and biological components in the Earth system over time.” The type of change depends on the rate at which the change progresses, namely
- The change that takes place slowly for over a long geologic period (millions to billions of years) is called gradual change.
- The change taking place swiftly is termed as catastrophic change (seconds to millennia). For example, the catastrophic change in the biodiversity is a mass-extinction event.
- The change involving transformations that never repeat is called unidirectional change. For example, the evolution of solid earth.
- The change that involves repetition of the same step over and over again with a definite frequency is called periodic change.
Various materials cycle among living and nonliving reservoirs of the Earth system during the hydrologic cycle, the rock cycle, and various biogeochemical cycles such as the carbon cycle. The proportions of these materials held in distinct reservoirs of the Earth system can change over time.
In addition, climate change and sea level change have greatly affected the planet's surface. Plate tectonics continuously, but gradually, alter the map of the planet. And life and atmosphere have evolved over the geological history. In spite of its massive form, the Earth system has a fragile nature.
Anthropogenic activity has caused great changes in just a few hundred years. Some changes in the Earth system are cyclic, though not necessarily periodic. Examples include the supercontinent cycle that occurs by the collection of continents by collision, and then dispersed by rifting, the sea level cycle that deals with sea level fluctuations, and the rock cycle. During biogeochemical cycles, carbon, water, and other elements cycle through living and nonliving reservoirs. Some carbon may be trapped underground for geologic time.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 19 Solutions
Essentials of Geology (Fifth Edition)
- 41) Alpine glaciers A) are the largest types of glaciers. B) conform to the shape of the landscape. C) cover large sections of continents. D) show no relationship with the underlying topography.arrow_forward40) Marine terraces are the result of A) coastal emergence through uplift or sea level decrease. B) coastal submergence through erosion or sea level increase. C) deposition of sands by the longshore current. D) wave refraction causing a loss of energy that allow sediments to be deposited.arrow_forward39) Translatory waves A) are the types of waves located furthest away from the shore. B) are slowed down by friction with the bottom of the ocean. C) move water particles in perfectly circular orbits. D) do not interact with the bottom of the ocean.arrow_forward
- 37) Which of the following terms is used for a type of sediment transport in streams? A) discharge. B) overland flow. C) saltation. D) sheet flow. E) abrasion.arrow_forward33) You would expect only slight physical and chemical weathering under conditions of A) temperatures below freezing. B) extreme cold and high precipitation. C) extreme heat and no precipitation. D) lower mean annual rainfall and temperatures. E) higher temperatures and lower precipitation.arrow_forward36) Soil moisture that plants are capable of accessing and using is called A) hygroscopic water. B) wilting point water. C) gravitational water. D) free molecular water. E) capillary water.arrow_forward
- 35) The lower the pH of a liquid A) the more acidic it is. B) the more neutral it is. C) the more basic (alkaline) it is. D) pH is not a measure of acidity; it is a measure of chemical reactivityarrow_forward32) Which of the following weathering processes does not involve water? A) pressure-release jointing B) hydration C) crystallization D) carbonation E) hydrolysisarrow_forward31) The fact that water expands as much as 9 percent of its volume as it freezes is the basis of A) chemical weathering processes. B) crystallization. C) pressure-release jointing. D) spheroidal weathering E) frost action.arrow_forward
- 30) Chemical weathering is greatest under conditions of A) lower mean annual rainfall and temperatures. B) temperatures below freezing. C) rainfall of less than 25 cm per year. D) higher mean annual rainfall and temperatures. E) lower mean annual rainfall and higher temperatures.arrow_forward25) Which of the following would decrease the rate at which evapotranspiration occurs? A) decreased water availability B) increased humidity C) increased wind speed D) increased temperatures E) increased water availabilityarrow_forward29) The disintegration and dissolving of surface and subsurface rock in place is called A) incision B) mass movement. C) weathering. D) erosion. E) landmass denudation.arrow_forward
- Applications and Investigations in Earth Science ...Earth ScienceISBN:9780134746241Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. TasaPublisher:PEARSONExercises for Weather & Climate (9th Edition)Earth ScienceISBN:9780134041360Author:Greg CarbonePublisher:PEARSONEnvironmental ScienceEarth ScienceISBN:9781260153125Author:William P Cunningham Prof., Mary Ann Cunningham ProfessorPublisher:McGraw-Hill Education
- Earth Science (15th Edition)Earth ScienceISBN:9780134543536Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. TasaPublisher:PEARSONEnvironmental Science (MindTap Course List)Earth ScienceISBN:9781337569613Author:G. Tyler Miller, Scott SpoolmanPublisher:Cengage LearningPhysical GeologyEarth ScienceISBN:9781259916823Author:Plummer, Charles C., CARLSON, Diane H., Hammersley, LisaPublisher:Mcgraw-hill Education,