One system
A landslide on a hill can muddy a river far below.
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The rule
Earth's five spheres affect one another. A change in one can reach the others.
Step 1 of 4
- Earth has five spheres.
- A landslide moves rock and soil. That is the geosphere.
- The slide sweeps trees away. Trees belong to the biosphere.
- Mud runs into the river. River water is the hydrosphere.
The idea
Earth works as one system of five spheres. A system is a group of parts that affect one another.
| Sphere | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Geosphere | Rock, soil, landforms and Earth's inside |
| Hydrosphere | Liquid water: oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater |
| Cryosphere | Ice and snow |
| Atmosphere | The air around Earth |
| Biosphere | Living things and their homes |
A change in one sphere can reach the others. Sea ice near the poles shows how. When it melts, dark water is uncovered. Dark water reflects less light than ice. So the sea takes in more sunlight and warms. Then more ice melts.
Watch out!
The five spheres are not five separate places. One place can hold all five. A valley can have ice, a river, rock, air and forest.