1. World Geography Chapter 2 Notes
Looking at the Earth

2. Section 1
Planet Earth

3. The Solar System Earth is part of a solar system
Sun is at center of solar system
1. Sun is a star
8 planets in the solar system
1. Earth is the 5th largest
2. Jupiter is the largest

4. Earth’s measurements
93 million miles from Sun
3rd planet from Sun

5. Water, Land , and Air 70% water 1. Hydrosphere – oceans, lakes, rivers
1. Lithosphere – Continents and ocean basins (land beneath oceans)
Air
1. Atmosphere – extends approximately 1,000 feet above Earth’s surface
Biosphere – part of Earth where life is found

6. Earth’s heights and depths
Mt. Everest – highest point ( 29,028 ft.)
Mariana Trench – lowest point (35,000 ft)
Average height above sea level – 2,800 ft.

7. Inside the Earth (composed of four layers)
Inner core – center of the Earth (4,000 miles. below the surface)
Outer core – made of iron and nickel (begins about 1800 miles below the surface)
Mantle – a thick layer of dense hot rock
Crust – a thin layer next to the surface (3 to 30 miles deep)
1. continents and ocean basins

11. Earth’s changing structure
Constantly changing due to internal and external forces

12. Internal Forces Forces cause plates to move
Plate spread apart – forms a ridge
Plates bump together – forms a trench
Internal forces build and break down mountains
Folds – bends in layers of rock
Plates squeeze Earth’s surface until it buckles
Faults – breaks in the Earth’s surface
occurs when surface can’t be bent any further

13. Internal Forces Continued
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Can cause as much damage under the ocean as ones on land
tsunami – giant tidal waves
Often occur where plates meet
Many occur along the edge of plates under the Pacific ocean
1. Called the Ring of Fire
Continental Drift theory – geologist believe that all the continents used to be joined together (Pangea)

18. External Forces Weathering – process that breaks down rocks
1.Chemical – water dissolves some of the chemicals in rocks. Causes them break apart
2. Physical – water seeps into the rocks freezes expands and causes the rocks to break apart

19. External Forces Continued
Erosion – wearing away of the Earth’s surface
1. Wind – movement of dust, sand, and soil from one place to another
2. Water – runoff digs into ground and rocks forms valleys and gullies
Glaciers – destroy forest and land as they move across land

21. Section 2
Earth’s Features

22. Landforms Natural features of the Earth’s surface
Classified by type to help people locate them

23. Continents 7 large landmasses 1. Asia – largest
2. Australia – smallest
Some people consider Europe and Asia to be one continent (Eurasia)
1. divided by the Ural Mountains

25. Major landforms
Mountains – highest landform, steep slopes with a peak or summit
Hills - lower than mountains, more rounded
Plateaus – higher than surrounding land, usually has one steep side (table top)
Plains – flat or gently rolling lands
1. Coastal plains have lower elevations
2. Interior plains have higher elevations
Peninsula – piece of land surrounded by water on 3 sides (Florida)
Archipelago – a group or chain of islands (Hawaii)
Continental Shelf – underwater extension of a continent

26. Mountains highest landform, steep slopes with a peak or summit

27. Hills lower than mountains, more rounded

28. Plateaus higher than surrounding land, usually has one steep side (table top)

29. Plains Flat or gently rolling lands 1
Plains Flat or gently rolling lands Coastal plains have lower elevations Interior plains have higher elevations

30. Peninsula Piece of land surrounded by water on 3 sides (Florida)

31. Archipelago A group or chain of islands (Hawaii)

32. Valley

33. Water Saltwater Most of the Earth’s water is salty. Oceans 1. Pacific
2. Atlantic
3. Indian
4. Arctic
Seas – bodies of salt water smaller than oceans

34. Water Continued Freshwater
Lake – body of water surrounded by land
Stream – body of water flowing through land
1. Combine to form rivers
2. Rivers combine to form major waterways
Groundwater – freshwater that lies beneath the surface
1. main source comes from rain and melted snow
3% of world’s water is fresh
2% trapped in glaciers
.5% is groundwater
.5% rivers and lakes

35. Glaciers

36. Water Continued
Water cycle – regular movement of water from ocean to air to ground back to ocean
1. Begins with evaporation – changing of liquid water to gas

38. Section 3
Earth’s Resources

39. Natural resources
Elements from the Earth not made by people but used by people
1. oil, water, soil
Minerals – things from the earth that are not living or made from living things
Fossil Fuels – formed from the remains of plants and animals
1. coal, oil, gas

40. Value of resources
Use, supply, and changes over time determine how valuable certain natural resources are
1. Gold
2. Rubber trees
3. Uranium

41. Managing resources Renewable resources – can replace themselves
1. plants and animals
Nonrenewable – can’t be replaced
1. iron and fossil fuels
Recycle – to reuse but can’t replace
Protecting
1. crop rotation
2. conservation

42. Distribution of resources
Not distributed evenly
Influences how countries relate to each other
Scarcity has lead to trade
1. Japan – imports raw material sells finished products
Imports – what a country brings in
Exports – what a country sends out