Describe the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and how they interact.
Student Success Criteria
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Scenario
Each of us has directly or indirectly been impacted by a natural disaster or severe weather event. For this assignment you will be required to recall a personal, real-world experience about the power of one of the Earth’s four spheres that you have experienced in your lifetime, creating a mixed media PowerPoint presentation that brings this event to life. The goal is to illustrate the interconnectedness of the Earth’s four spheres to human health and safety, to the current state of our climate, and to the mitigation of such disasters in the future as the consequences of climate change continue to worsen.
Instructions
In a well-organized presentation using PowerPoint, you will construct a visual presentation that illustrates the power of a natural disaster/geologic event in history from the standpoint of a personal experience. Consider a time in your life when you have been impacted, either directly or indirectly, by a natural disaster or severe weather event.
Your presentation should include the following elements as well as a robust discussion of each in the slides' speaker notes section:
Discuss background, history, and location of your chosen event/disaster. (Where did this event occur? How many people were impacted by this event?)
Specify measures taken to mitigate the event/disaster. (What was the response of the community/state/country to this event?)
Discuss how we might mitigate a similar event/disaster in the future. (How can we mitigate disasters to more fully protect human health and safety?)
Be sure to include images/maps/statistical information from your chosen event/disaster.
Full Answer Section
- Hydrosphere: The hydrosphere is the water part of the Earth. It includes all the oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and ice. The hydrosphere interacts with the atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere in many ways. For example, water vapor in the atmosphere condenses to form clouds, which can then release rain or snow.
- Geosphere: The geosphere is the solid part of the Earth. It includes the rocks, minerals, and soil. The geosphere interacts with the atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere in many ways. For example, rocks can weather and erode, releasing nutrients into the soil that plants need to grow.
The four spheres of the Earth are interconnected in many ways. The atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere all work together to create and sustain life on Earth.
Here is an example of how the four spheres interact:
- The atmosphere provides the oxygen that plants need to photosynthesize.
- The biosphere helps to regulate the Earth's temperature by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.
- The hydrosphere helps to distribute heat around the globe by circulating water from the oceans to the atmosphere and back again.
- The geosphere provides the foundation for the biosphere and helps to regulate the Earth's climate by storing carbon dioxide and other gases.
Natural disasters are a result of the complex interactions between the four spheres of the Earth. For example, hurricanes are caused by the interaction of warm, moist air from the ocean with cold, dry air from the atmosphere. Earthquakes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates in the geosphere.
We can mitigate the effects of natural disasters by understanding how the four spheres interact and by taking steps to reduce our impact on the environment. For example, we can reduce the risk of flooding by planting trees and shrubs that can help to absorb water. We can also reduce the risk of wildfires by clearing brush and debris from around our homes.
It is important to remember that the four spheres of the Earth are interconnected and that we cannot protect ourselves from natural disasters by focusing on just one sphere. We need to take a holistic approach to disaster mitigation and work to protect all four spheres.