Final answer:
The combination of the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere is bigger than the biosphere alone because the biosphere is contained within these other spheres, which also include all non-living components of the Earth.
Step-by-step explanation:
When examining which is bigger between the combination of the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, or the biosphere alone, it is important to understand that the biosphere is encompassed within the other three spheres. The biosphere includes all living organisms and stretches from about 11,000 meters below sea level to 15,000 meters above sea level. It is a subset of the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, which cover the entire Earth, including both the living (biosphere) and non-living components. Therefore, the combination of the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere is bigger than the biosphere because it includes the biosphere along with all non-living matter.
The geosphere represents the solid earth, the hydrosphere consists of all the water bodies on Earth, and the atmosphere is the layer of gas that surrounds the planet. The biosphere is unique as it includes areas where life is found, which are part of all three other spheres, but does not extend beyond where life exists. As the biosphere is integral to, but not as expansive as the other spheres, it is clear that it is a smaller component.