Zoomable Art: The Earth System

The Earth’s surface is the interface among the solid Earth (the lithosphere); the ice and liquid water of oceans, lakes, streams, groundwater, and glaciers (the hydrosphere); and the planet’s gaseous envelope (the atmosphere). Countless species of life, ranging from microscopic bacteria to giant whales and trees, make up the complex ecosystems of Earth’s biosphere. All of these components—the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere—interact with each other. These components and the interactions among them constitute the Earth System. For more information, see the Geology at a Glance: The Earth System on pp. 502-503 in your textbook.