Earth’s Spheres, Landforms and Physical Processes What does it all mean? ©2012, TESCCC
Earth’s Spheres
• Atmosphere: located right above the Earth’s surface and includes layers of gases (clouds, air pollution, sand storms, hurricanes, etc.)
It protects us by absorbing solar radiation.• Biosphere: life on land, rivers and oceans (Biomes)
deserts, forests, grasslands• Hydrosphere: water in liquid and solid state (oceans,
glaciers, snow, lakes, rivers, etc.)• Lithosphere: solids of the Earth (rocks, soils,
landforms, etc.)©2012, TESCCC
Plate Tectonics: View direction of the arrows showing movement of the plates. What can you deduce from this image?
©2012, TESCCC
Types of Boundaries
A DIVERGENTboundary is a boundary where two tectonic plates are moving away from one another. This most often takes place at ocean ridges.
A CONVERGENT boundary is when plate tectonics, push against each other, one is ultimately forced down beneath the other.
©2012, TESCCC