Major Domains of the Earth

Major Domains of the Earth

The earth’s surface is a complex zone where three major components of the environment meet, overlap, and interact. The Lithosphere is the solid portion of the earth on which we live. The Atmosphere is the gaseous layer that surrounds the Earth and contains oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and other gases. Water covers a large portion of the earth’s surface, which is referred to as the Hydrosphere. The Hydrosphere is made up of water in all of its forms, including ice, water, and water vapour. The Biosphere is the narrow zone that contains all forms of life because it combines land, water, and air.

Lithosphere

• The lithosphere is the earth’s strongest layer. It consists of the earth’s hull stones and the delicate soil layers that contain supplement components that support organic entities
• There are two principal divisions of the earth’s surface. Large land areas are known as continents, while huge water bodies are called ocean basins.

Seven Major Continents on Earth

• Asia: It is the largest continent that comprises one-third the area of the earth. It lies in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is separated from Europe by the Ural Mountains on the west side. The Tropic of Cancer goes through it

• Europe: It lies west of Asia. The Arctic Circle goes through it, and water bodies form three sides surrounding it
• Africa: It is the second-largest continent after Asia. All three latitudes pass through this continent. The world’s biggest desert Sahara is present in the northern part of the continent. The world’s longest river, Nile, flows through this continent
• North America: It is the third-largest continent, which is linked to South America by a very narrow strip of land called the Isthmus of Panama. The landmass lies totally in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. Three seas encompass this landmass
• South America: It lies for the most part in the Southern Hemisphere. The universe’s longest mountain range, the Andes, goes through its length from north to south. South America has the world’s biggest waterway, the Amazon
• Australia: The landmass lies totally in the Southern Hemisphere. It is encircled on all sides by the seas and oceans. It is additionally called an island landmass. Furthermore, it is the only continent that is bound by water from all sides of the continent
• Antarctica: It is a huge continent lying completely in the Southern Hemisphere. The South Pole lies nearly at the focal point of this landmass. As it is situated in the South Polar Region, it is forever covered with thick ice sheets. There are no long-lasting human settlements. Numerous nations, including India, have research stations in Antarctica

Atmosphere

• The thin layer of gas which surrounds the earth is called the atmosphere
• It stretches out up to a length of around 1,600 kilometres
• The environment is isolated into five layers depending on the structure, temperature, and different properties. These layers beginning from the earth’s surface are called the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, and the exosphere

• The environment is made fundamentally out of Nitrogen and Oxygen, which make up close to 100% of perfect, dry air
• N2 78%, O2 21%, and different gases like CO2, Ar, and others involve 1%.

Hydrosphere

• The hydrosphere comprises water in all its forms, i.e., ice, water, water vapour, running water in the ocean, river, underground water, etc
• More than 71% of the earth is covered with water, and 29 per cent is with the land. That is why the earth is known as “Blue Planet.”

Oceans

• Oceans are the major part of the hydrosphere. They are all connected, and water in the ocean is always moving
• The three chief movements of sea waters are the waves, the tides, and the sea flows
• The five critical oceans are the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean
• The Pacific Ocean:  It is the largest ocean that is spread over one-third of the earth. The most profound piece of the earth, the Mariana Trench, lies in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is almost circle in shape. It is encircled by Asia, Australia, North and South America
• The Atlantic Ocean: It is the second-greatest ocean on earth. It is S-shaped. It is flanked by the North and South Americas on the western side and Europe and Africa on the eastern side. The shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean is profoundly indebted. This unpredictable and indented shoreline gives normal harbours and ports an optimal area
• From the perspective of trade, it is the most active ocean
• The Indian Ocean: It is the main sea named after a country, India. The state of the sea is practically three-sided. It is bound by Asia in the north, in the west by Africa, and in the east by Australia
• The Southern Ocean: It circles the mainland of Antarctica and stretches to 60 degrees south. The Arctic Ocean is situated inside the Arctic Circle and encompasses the North Pole. The Pacific Ocean is associated with a tight stretch of shallow water known as the Bering Strait. It is limited by the northern shorelines of North America and Eurasia.

Biosphere

It is the restricted zone where we track water, land, and air together, containing all life types. The biosphere is a narrow zone on Earth where land, water, and air interact to support life. Life exists only in this zone. There are many types of organisms ranging in size from microbes and bacteria to large mammals.

Conclusion

The lithosphere consists of land which is formed by various continents. The Seven Major Continents on Earth are Asia (It is the largest continent), Europe(It lies west of Asia), Africa (It is the second-largest continent after Asia), North America (It is the third-largest continent), South America (lies in the Southern Hemisphere), Australia (Lies totally in the Southern Hemisphere), Antarctica (It is a huge continent lying completely in the Southern Hemisphere).

Oceans are water bodies which are salty in nature, and it covers 70% of the Earth’s surface. The major oceans present on earth are the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean and Antarctic Ocean. This comprises the hydrosphere along with all the freshwater bodies, ice caps and groundwater included.

The thin layer of gas which surrounds the earth is called the atmosphere. The environment is isolated into five layers depending on the structure, temperature, and different properties. These layers beginning from the earth’s surface are called the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, and the exosphere.

The layer which connects all these layers is called biosphere, and it contains all the lifeforms of the earth.