Lesson 4: Earth's Spheres

Lesson 4: Earth's Spheres

1. Lithosphere

   • the rigid shell of rock that surrounds the more fluid inner layers and solid core (crust)
   • Oxygen = 94.04%
   • Silicon = .88%
   • Aluminum = .48%
   • Iron = .49%
   • Calcium = 1.18%
   • Sodium = 1.11%
   • Magnesium = .33%
   • Potassium = 1.42%
   • Other = .07%
   • Oxygen = 46.1%
   • Silicon = 28.2%
   • Aluminum = 8.23%
   • Iron = 5.63
   • Calcium = 4.15
   • Sodium = 2.36%
   • Magnesium = 2.33%
   • Potassium = 2.09%
   • Other= .91%
   • Percent by Volume:
   • Percent by Mass:

2. Hydrosphere

   • Earth's liquid water
   • Hydrogen = 66%
   • Oxygen = 33%
   • Other = 1%
   • Percent by Volume:

3. Atmosphere

   • the shell of gas that surrounds the Earth (troposphere)
   • Oxygen = 21%
   • Nitrogen = 78%
   • Other = 1%
   • Percent by Volume:
   • Troposphere
     • Lowest sphere
     • 0 to 12 kilometers above the surface
     • Most dense layer and contains the most mass of the atmosphere
     • -55 to 15 degrees Celcius, the temperature becomes lower as the altitude increases
     • Contains most of the water vapor and clouds
   • Stratosphere
     • 12 to 50 kilometers
     • -55 to 0 degrees Celcius, the temperature becomes higher as the altitude increases
     • Contains the most ozone
   • Mesosphere
     • 50 to 80 kilometers
     • -90 to 0 degrees Celcius, the temperature decreases as the altitude increases
   • Thermosphere
     • 50 to 600 kilometers
     • -90 to 2000+ degrees Celcius, the temperature increases as the altitude increases
   • Tropopause
   • Stratopause
   • Mesopause