Environmental System

An environmental system refers to the complex and interconnected network of physical, chemical, biological, and human components that interact with each other within the environment. This includes the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. Understanding environmental systems is crucial for addressing environmental issues and developing sustainable solutions.

Components of Environmental Systems

1. Atmosphere: The gaseous envelope surrounding the Earth, including the layers of air, weather patterns, and climate.

2. Hydrosphere: The water component of the Earth, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

3. Lithosphere: The solid outer layer of the Earth, which includes the soil, rocks, and minerals.

4. Biosphere: The zone of life on Earth, including all ecosystems and living organisms.

Interactions in Environmental Systems

1. Biogeochemical Cycles: The cycling of essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus between the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

2. Energy Flow: The transfer of energy through food chains and ecosystems, including the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers.

3. Feedback Mechanisms: The processes by which changes in one part of the environmental system can lead to amplifying or stabilizing effects on other components.

4. Human Impacts: The influence of human activities on environmental systems, including pollution, deforestation, and climate change.

Study Guide

Define environmental system and its components.
Explain the interactions between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.
Discuss the role of biogeochemical cycles in environmental systems.
Describe the flow of energy through ecosystems and food chains.
Examine feedback mechanisms and their importance in environmental stability.
Analyze the impact of human activities on environmental systems.

◂Chemistry Worksheets and Study Guides High School. Elements - Set I

The resources above cover the following skills:

PHYSICAL SCIENCE (NGSS)

Matter and Its Interactions

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.

Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.