Earth's Crust:
* Minerals: The building blocks of rocks. Common minerals include quartz, feldspar, mica, and calcite.
* Rocks: Solid, naturally occurring aggregates of minerals. There are three main types: igneous (formed from cooled magma), sedimentary (formed from weathering and erosion), and metamorphic (formed from existing rocks under heat and pressure).
* Metals: Elements that are typically shiny, malleable, and good conductors of heat and electricity. Examples include iron, aluminum, copper, and gold.
* Fossil Fuels: Combustible deposits formed from ancient organic matter (plants and animals) over millions of years. Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples.
Living Matter:
* Organic Compounds: Molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, and often oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. These include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (fats and oils), and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).
* Water: Essential for all life processes.
* Cells: The basic unit of life. All living organisms are made up of one or more cells.
* Biomolecules: Large molecules essential for life, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids.
Oceans:
* Water: The primary component of the oceans.
* Salts: Dissolved minerals, primarily sodium chloride (table salt), but also magnesium, calcium, and potassium salts.
* Dissolved Gases: Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen are dissolved in the ocean water.
* Marine Organisms: A diverse array of plants and animals, from microscopic phytoplankton to giant whales.
Atmosphere:
* Nitrogen: The most abundant gas in the atmosphere (78%).
* Oxygen: Essential for respiration in most living organisms (21%).
* Argon: An inert gas (0.9%).
* Carbon Dioxide: A greenhouse gas that plays a role in regulating Earth's temperature.
* Water Vapor: Varies in concentration, but plays a critical role in weather and climate.
* Other Gases: Trace amounts of other gases, including ozone, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Note: The composition of these spheres can vary significantly depending on location. For example, the crust can be very different in different regions of the Earth, and the atmosphere can be polluted in certain areas.
