PLANET EARTH AND BEYONd 1-1

PLANET EARTH AND BEYOND
GRADE 9
PG 196-210 TOP CLASS
SPHERES OF THE EARTH
The earth is a complex system made up of four spheres
that interact with each other.
➢ Biosphere: the part of the earth where all living

organisms exist. It is composed of the lithosphere,
hydrosphere and atmosphere.
➢ Lithosphere: layer of solid rocks and soil near the

Earth’s surface.
➢ Hydrosphere: is the water on the Earth’s surface. It

contains all water, whether it is sea water, fresh
water, ice or snow.
➢ Atmosphere: the thin layer of gases that is found all

around the Earth.
SPHERES OF THE EARTH
• The earth is a complex system made up of four spheres that interact

with each other.
• Biosphere: the part of the earth where all living organisms exist. It is
composed of the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
• Lithosphere: layer of solid rocks and soil near the Earth’s surface.
• Hydrosphere: is the water on the Earth’s surface. It contains all water,
whether it is sea water, fresh water, ice or snow.
• Atmosphere: the thin layer of gases that is found all around the Earth.
THE LITHOSPHERE
The Earth is made up of four concentric (circles that share the same
centre) layers.
1. The centre is the solid inner core; made of iron and nickel
2. Surrounding this is the liquid outer core
3. The third layer is the mantle. Rocks in the mantle are not solid
because they are too hot. They have a thick toothpaste texture. The
mantle is divided into the inner mantle and outer mantle. The hot
liquid rock making up the mantle is called magma.
4. The outside layer of the Earth is called the crust. The crust is cooler
and solid, about 30km’s thick. It is under the continents and oceans.
Draw figure 21.2
page 202 showing
the layers of the Outer mantle
earth
Inner mantle
The rock cycle is the
process in which rocks
are made, then get
broken down and then
get made again.
During the rock cycle,

three types of made –
igneous, sedimentary
and metamorphic
THE ROCK rocks.
CYCLE
THE ROCK IGNEOUS ROCK
CYCLE Igneous rock is formed when
liquid magna pushes from
the mantle to the crust and
cools down.
Rapid cooling happens if
magma comes to the surface
when a volcano erupts.
E.g. sugar cube
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
THE ROCK
Sedimentary rocks are rocks that
CYCLE are made from small pieces that
have come off other rocks and
have been carried away in rivers
or by wind.
When the pieces collect
somewhere, they are called
sediments.
E.g. sediments form at the mouth

of rivers where small rock pieces
carried by water settle as the
water slow downs.
METAMORPHIC ROCK
THE ROCK
When igneous and sedimentary
CYCLE rocks have been changed by heat
and pressure in the crust. The
rocks undergo chemical changes
which changes their mineral
structure.
E.g. marble and slate
MARBLE SLATE
MINING OF MINERAL
RESOURCES
Extracting ores
Earth’s crust contains many types of
minerals
❖ Mineral: can be a pure element or a
combination of different elements.
❖ The minerals in Earth’s crust are
found in rocks. E.g. gold, iron,
copper
❖ A rock that contains high
concentrations of valuable minerals
is called an ore.
❖ Ores can be removed from the
lithosphere through mining.
MINING ORE
Method 1: Surface Mining (open pit mining)
➢ The topsoil is removed from the surface of the
Earth.
➢ The surface layers of rock are removed to expose
the deeper layers containing valuable minerals.
➢ The valuable rocks are then blasted into smaller
pieces using explosives. The rocks are carried by
trucks and taken away for further processing and
crushing
➢ Any mineral found in high concentrations up to
1000m below ground is extracted using this
method.
➢ E.g. coal and copper
MINING ORE
Method 2: Underground Mining (shaft
mining)
If minerals are found deeper, as in the case

with most of the gold, platinum and zinc,
underground mining is used.
❖Firstly a shaft is made by drilling, blasting
and equipping it with needed materials.
❖Tunnels are then built leading outwards
from the main shaft to the ore deposits.
❖Shaft mining requires roof supports so
that the rocks do not collapse.
REFINING (EXTRACTING) MINERALS
Extracting iron from iron ore

1. Iron ore, coal and limestone are poured into a
blast furnace.
2. The reaction requires extremely hot air to
occur. The hot air is then blasted into the
furnace (a reaction temperature of 1000
degrees Celsius).
3. Carbon in coal coverts to carbon monoxide
which when combined with hot temperatures,
converts iron ore into liquid iron metal (pig
iron). Liquid iron sinks to the bottom of the
furnace and is poured into moulds.
REFINING (EXTRACTING) MINERALS
Extracting iron from iron ore
4. Limestone is added to absorb all

impurities and together with the
impurities, forms waste material. The
waste material floats above the molten
iron and is removed. The waste material
is called slag; used to make roads.
5. The molten iron which was poured into
moulds is left to solidify. This iron is
called cast iron and is used to make
railings and storage tanks. The rest is
used to make steel.
USES OF GOLD
❖Jewellery
❖Medals and
awards
❖Dentistry and
medicine
❖ Aerospace
MINING IN SOUTH
AFRICA
South Africa is the world’s largest

producer of gold and platinum. It is
also one of the world’s leading
producers of copper, tin and zinc.
Mining creates jobs for geologists,

miners, chemical, mechanical,
metallurgic and mining engineers.
Other careers involved includes,
nurses, doctors, HR, etc.

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PLANET EARTH AND BEYOND

➢ Biosphere: the part of the earth where all living

➢ Lithosphere: layer of solid rocks and soil near the

➢ Hydrosphere: is the water on the Earth’s surface. It

➢ Atmosphere: the thin layer of gases that is found all

• The earth is a complex system made up of four spheres that interact

During the rock cycle,

E.g. sediments form at the mouth

If minerals are found deeper, as in the case

Extracting iron from iron ore

Extracting iron from iron ore

4. Limestone is added to absorb all

South Africa is the world’s largest

Mining creates jobs for geologists,

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