Back in the workshop, Raven draws the four colored circles on the whiteboard. Rocket draws an arrow from blue to brown.
"Waves crash into the cliff," he says. "Water changes rock."
Raven adds an arrow from green to white. "Plants release water vapor into the air," she says. "Remember the leaf bag?"
Nova draws more arrows until the board is crisscrossed. "What do you notice?" she asks. "Every circle touches every other."
Rocket steps back. "It is one big machine," he says.
Scientists study two systems at a time to understand how they interact.
The ocean shapes landforms, supports many ecosystems and influences climate.
Winds and clouds in the atmosphere interact with landforms, such as mountains, to make patterns of weather.
Living things change the other systems too. Plants release water vapor and oxygen into the air.
| Interaction | Systems involved |
|---|---|
| Waves wear away a cliff | Hydrosphere and geosphere |
| A mountain range changes winds and clouds | Geosphere and atmosphere |
| The ocean is home to many living things | Hydrosphere and biosphere |
| Leaves release water vapor | Biosphere and atmosphere |
Earth's systems are huge and connected.
To understand them, scientists study just two systems at a time.
For example, they might study how ocean waves shape a cliff.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| The ocean helps shape landforms. | ? |
| Mountains can change patterns of wind and clouds. | ? |
| Living things never change the air. | ? |
| The ocean influences climate. | ? |
You can now spot interactions anywhere. Tomorrow you will build a model of one.