1. The Physical World

2. 1. atmosphere – 2. hydrosphere – 3. biosphere – 4. lithosphere Website
Four Spheres of Earth:
1. atmosphere –
2. hydrosphere –
3. biosphere –
4. lithosphere
Website

3. Practice:
Put the following elements of the earth into one (or more) of the following spheres:
fish, clouds, trees, humans, rocks,
ground water, rain, worms, coal
atmosphere
biosphere
lithosphere
hydrosphere

4. Earth Facts:
The earth is one of 8 planets in our solar system that revolve around the sun.

5. Earth Facts (cont.): The earth is ... The earth is the ...
The earth’s diameter is ...
The earth’s circumference is …
About 70% of the earth is –
About 30 % of the earth is –

6. Highest point:
Tallest mountain:

8. Lowest point on continents:
Lowest point under oceans:

9. 35,840 ft.

10. crust – mantle – outer core – inner core –
Earth’s Structure:
crust –
mantle –
outer core –
inner core –

11. Earth’s Structure (cont.):

12. How do we know? Geologists study:
rocks that used to be deeply buried inside the earth
earthquakes and how different waves pass through the earth
the amount of heat that flows out of the earth

13. Forces that Shape the Earth
Internal Forces:
Movements of the crust’s plates cause:
it can also form mountains, trenches, & ridges.
The Ring of Fire is an area circling the Pacific Ocean that has
Many believe that the continents were once joined, but drifted apart over time –
(website)

17. Plate Movement Earthquakes are detected by:
The strength of an earthquake is rated using the:

18. focus – epicenter – fold – fault –
Plate Movement
focus –
epicenter –
fold –
fault –

19. Earthquake Magnitude Scale
Earthquake Effects
Est. # Each Year
2.5 or less
Usually not felt, but can be recorded by seismograph.
900,000
2.5 to 5.4
Often felt, but only causes minor damage.
30,000
5.5 to 6.0
Slight damage to buildings and other structures.
500
6.1 to 6.9
May cause a lot of damage in very populated areas.
100
7.0 to 7.9
Major earthquake. Serious damage. 20
8.0 or greater
Great earthquake. Can totally destroy communities near the epicenter.
One every 5 to 10 years

20. Haiti – 7.0

21. Plate Movement (cont.) divergent – subduction – collision –
(Animation)
divergent –
subduction –
collision –
transform –

23. Forces that Shape the Earth (cont.)
External forces:
weathering –
chemical –
2) physical –

24. Forces that Shape the Earth (cont.)
External forces:
erosion -

25. Glacial Erosion

26. Questions: 1. What would happen if the mantle were solid?
2. What would happen if weathering & erosion did not occur?

27. Earth-Sun Relationships
The Earth:
is tilted at a 23½° angle, so …
makes one rotation on its axis every …
takes 365 ¼ days to make one trip around the sun

29. Earth-Sun Relationships (cont.)
The Northern & Southern Hemispheres experience …
EX: summer in N. Hemisphere =
winter in S. Hemisphere

30. Christmas in Australia

31. Earth-Sun Relationships (cont.)
equinox -
- the N & S Hemispheres receive equal amounts of sunlight
- occurs around: March 21st & September 23rd

32. Earth-Sun Relationships (cont.)
solstice -
- June 21st - longest day of the year & 1st day of summer (in N. Hem.)
- Dec. 21st - shortest day of the year & 1st day of winter (in N. Hem.)

33. Equinox & Solstice Animation

34. Weather & Climate
weather -
climate -

35. Weather & Climate (cont.)
greenhouse effect -

36. Weather & Climate (cont.)
global warming -
the earth has warmed 1ºF over the past 100 years
Debate: What’s causing it?
human activities that release more greenhouse gases causing the atmosphere to retain too much of the earth’s heat
natural processes (solar radiation & volcanoes)

37. hurricane - - also called typhoons or cyclones (in Asia)
Severe Weather
hurricane -
- also called typhoons or cyclones (in Asia)

38. Severe Weather (cont.) tornado -
strength measured on the Fujita Scale (F0-F5)
Tornado Alley - Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas & Nebraska

41. Severe Weather (cont.)
blizzard -

42. Severe Weather (cont.) El Niño - Occurs every 3-7 years
Can cause drastic changes in world weather patterns
video

43. 5 Factors Affecting Climate
latitude: The sun’s rays strike the earth differently
at different latitudes.

45. 5 Factors Affecting Climate
2. elevation:
Quito, Ecuador

46. 5 Factors Affecting Climate
3. wind patterns:
Winds are named for the direction they blow from.
prevailing winds:

47. 5 Factors Affecting Climate
4. ocean currents: Warm ocean currents flow from the equator & cold currents flow from the poles.
currents -

49. 5 Factors Affecting Climate
5. Physical Features: Mountain ranges, water, or lack of water
maritime climate –

50. EX: The American West (Mojave Desert)