EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Volcanoes affect the spheres: Biosphere-Plant and animal population, soil fertility, damage human property. Atmosphere-release ash and gases, affects climate and weather conditions. Hydrosphere-warmer and more acidic oceans, melting ice bodies, acid rain and soil.

Detailed explanation-2: -Volcanoes (events in the geosphere) may release a substantial amount of hot lava (geosphere), which causes mountain glaciers (hydrosphere) to melt. Mudflows (geosphere) and flooding may occur downstream from volcanoes and may inundate streamside communities (biosphere).

Detailed explanation-3: -Let’s look at a couple of examples of how a change in one system (or sphere) affects other Earth systems. Volcanoes (geosphere) erupt, sending ash and gases into the air (atmosphere) and sending lava and ash down onto surrounding forests (biosphere) and human habitations (biosphere).

Detailed explanation-4: -Volcanic ash or dust released into the atmosphere during an eruption shade sunlight and cause temporary cooling. Larger particles of ash have little effect because they fall out of the air quickly. Small ash particles form a dark cloud in the troposphere that shades and cools the area directly below.

Detailed explanation-5: -Volcanic ash and gases can sometimes reach the stratosphere, the upper layer in Earth’s atmosphere. This volcanic debris can reflect incoming solar radiation and absorb outgoing land radiation, leading to a cooling of the Earth’s temperature.