Earth Subsystems
Heat exchanges between Earth and space show how the planet functions as a large system. These exchanges mainly involve energy, since exchanges of matter are minimal, making the Earth a closed system.
However, the Earth system is composed of several smaller subsystems that constantly interact, exchanging matter and energy, characterizing themselves as open systems. Thus, any disturbance in one subsystem can impact the functioning of the others. The main subsystems are the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the geosphere and the biosphere... Did you know?