Download Bringing the Earth Down to Size Background Information

Earth Science Lab
Name:
Block:
Date:
Bringing the Earth Down to Size
Background Information: When you observe pictures of the Earth taken from the space shuttle,
you will probably be surprised by what you see. Earth may look nearer than you expected, or
you may have thought you would see more detail. This activity will help you better visualize how
Earth’s larger structures compare with the actual size of the Earth.
Purpose:
1. To construct a scale model of the layers of the Earth.
2. To compare various heights and thicknesses of the layers of the Earth to the radius of
the Earth.
Materials: Each group will need a cut piece of newsprint paper, pencils, colored pencils, string,
meter sticks, and tape.
Procedures: DO NOT SPEND ALL OF CLASS TIME COLORING YOUR MODEL!!!
1. Tape a piece of notebook paper to the end of your large newsprint paper. This is your
paper extension. Near the bottom of your paper extension make a dot and label it
“center of the Earth”.
2. Calculate the scale distances for the different layers of the Earth and list in the table
below. To do this, divide the average thickness by 100.
LAYER
Inner Core
AVG. THICKNESS
(km)
1300
Outer Core
2250
Mantle
2900
Crust
30
SCALE
(cm)
3. Using a pencil mark the layers of the Earth onto your newsprint based on your
calculations. Begin from the center of the Earth and add each successive layer.
4. Color and label each layer using the following key: DO NOT SPEND ALL OF CLASS
TIME COLORING!
Crust= Brown
Mantle= Red
Outer Core= Orange
Inner Core= Yellow
5. The Lithosphere is a special layer that includes the crust and a small portion of the
upper mantle. It is the rigid outer shell of the Earth. Just below the lithosphere is another
special layer, a region of the mantle called the Asthenosphere, where, because of
enormous heat and pressure, the solid rock acts like silly putty. Calculate the scale
distances for these two layers in the table below (divide the average thickness by 100).
LAYER
Lithosphere
AVG. THICKNESS
(km)
100
Asthenosphere
200
SCALE
(cm)
6. Draw the boundaries for these layers using a black DOTTED LINE. Begin from the
surface of the Earth for the lithosphere and measure down. From the end of the
lithosphere, measure and label the asthenosphere. Label the layers.
7. The Earth’s atmosphere does not end abruptly; it tapers off and gradually becomes the
near vacuum of interplanetary space. Because of the pull of gravity, over 99% of the
total mass of the atmospheric gases is found within the lower 50 km. Calculate the scale
distances for the atmosphere using the table below (divide the average thickness by
100). Draw each layer and label it using the surface of the Earth as your starting point
and go up. Add each layer, do not start from the surface for each!
LAYER
AVG. THICKNESS
(km)
Troposphere
16
Stratosphere
50
Mesosphere
85
Thermosphere
600
SCALE
(cm)
8. Color the entire atmosphere BLUE.
9. Calculate the distances for each of the points below (divide the average height/depth by
100). Draw a picture to represent each item.
OBJECT
Altitude of Space Shuttle
AVG Height/Depth
(km)
300
Altitude of Cruising Plane
12.2
Deepest Ocean Trench
15
Mount Everest
10
SCALE
(cm)
NAME: ________________________________________ Block: ________________
Analysis Questions: Use what you’ve learned in this lab and your INB to answer the questions below.
1. Measure the model you just made using a meter stick. What is the radius of the Earth from the
center to the surface in km? (Hint: you divided each measurement by 100 to convert to cm.)
2. The circumference of the Earth is approximately 40,000 km. What percentage of the Earth’s
circumference is represented by the width of your newsprint? (Hint: measure width of paper and
then convert to Km)
3. List all 6 layers of the Earth from least dense to most dense.
____________
4. What causes the layers of the Earth to be separated out by density?
5. Which layer of the Earth does life exist in?
compare to the radius of the Earth?
How does the thickness of this layer
6. In which layers of the Earth do you think the most energy transfer happens? (Keep in mind we are
a rocky body that floats in space!)
______
7. What layer of the Earth is made of semi-molten material?
8. Is the inner core made of solid or liquid material?
Why/how?
9. What layer of the Earth do both the asthenosphere and lithosphere exist in?
10. According to your data, what layer does the lithosphere “ride” or “float” on top of?
11. Why would the lithosphere be described as “floating” on top of this layer?
12. According to your data, what is the thickest layer of the Earth?
13. What layer of the Earth contains “the center of the Earth”?
14. With your group members name three features or manmade structures on the Earth’s surface that
we would consider to be enormous (NOT listed from above):
15. Now look at your large model of the layers of the Earth and compare the size of the features you
named with the actual size of the Earth.