Download Dimensions of the Earth

Dimensions of the Earth
Shape and Composition of the Earth
POLES: slightly
flattened
The Earth is close to being a
perfect sphere.
The Earth bulges slightly at the
equator and flattens slightly at
the poles.
Evidence of the Earth’s
shape?
Ships “sink” when moving past
the horizon
Satellite photographs
Moon phases and lunar
eclipses
EQUATOR: slightly
bulging
Nearly equal gravitational
attraction of objects all over the
Earth’s surface.
The Earth is composed of a series of spheres. Each sphere has a different composition of materials and is held
together by gravity. The spheres of Earth are arranged from least dense (atmosphere) to most dense
(geosphere) depending on how close they are found to the Earth’s center.
Atmosphere
The layer of gases that surround the Earth
located above the Earth’s surface is known
as the atmosphere.
The atmosphere is
the least dense of
all the spheres
The atmosphere is
composed of 78%
nitrogen,21% oxygen
and 1% other gases and
aerosols – suspended
solids and liquids in the
atmosphere.
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Earth’s atmosphere is
broken down into
smaller spheres (zones)
with distinct differences
in air temperature and
composition. The
interface between these
zones are called
pauses.
Hydrosphere
The layer of liquid water found at the Earth’s
surface is known as the hydrosphere.
The hydrosphere
consists of bodies
of freshwater and
saltwater found on
Earth’s surface
including: oceans,
lakes, rivers and
streams.
Mostof the
hydrosphere(~7
0%) is
composed of
water
(hydrogen/oxyg
en).
Lithosphere
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The layer of rock that forms the outer shell of
the Earth is known as the lithosphere.
The lithosphere
lies beneath the
atmosphere and
hydrosphere.
The uppermost
section of the
lithosphere is
the crust which
is broken up
into sections
known as
lithospheric or
tectonic plates.
The region of the Earth between the crust
and Earth’s center is known as the
geosphere.
Geosphere
The geosphere
is the most
dense of all the
spheres
The geosphere is
broken into zones
based on changes in
density, pressure and
temperature.
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