Download Chapter 2 Section 2

CHAPTER 2
A Living Planet
Earth
• Third planet from the sun
• Distance from the sun= 93
million miles
Our Solar System
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Consists of nine known planets (Mercury, Venus,
Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune &
Pluto).
Pluto is now being termed a dwarf planet
because it is so small compared to the other
eight planets.
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There are other celestial bodies that orbit the
sun in our solar system
Celestial- of or related to the sky or visible
heavens.
In our solar system there are comets and
asteroids that orbit space.
Mercury
 1st
planet ( One third the size of earth)
Venus
 2nd
planet from the sun and hottest in
solar system.
Earth
 3rd
planet from the sun. (Only planet that
can support the human race).
Mars
 4th
planet (known as the “Red Planet”)
Jupiter
 5th
and largest planet in solar system
Saturn
 6th
planet (Could fit earth in this planet
over 9 times)
Uranus
 7th
planet from the sun (Has the
least mass of all planets)
Neptune
 8th
planet (This planet has eight different
moons).
Pluto
 9th
planet from the sun (Smallest of all the
planets).
The Earth’s Structure
• Core- the earth’s center, made up of iron
and nickel.
• Mantel- a rock layer about 1,800 miles
thick that is between the earth’s crust and
the earth’s core.
• Crust- the thin rock layer making up the
earth’s surface.
 Lithosphere-
the solid rock portion of
the earth’s surface.
 Atmosphere- the layers of gases
immediately surrounding the earth.
Hydrosphere- the waters comprising the
earth’s surface (oceans, seas, rivers &
lakes).
Biosphere- the part of the earth where
plants and animals live.
Pangaea
Comes from a Greek word meaning “all
earth”.
Continental Drift

The hypothesis that all continents were
once joined into a supercontinent that
split apart over millions of years.
Chapter 2 Section 2
 Bodies of Water & Landforms
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Anyone passing through our solar system
would be attracted to the blue planet.
They would know that the blue color
indicated water on Earth. They would
know that where there is water there is
probably life. They might try to meet us.
We, the blue planet stand out as a beacon
to all.
James Irwin
Water
Both fresh and salt water are required for
life to exists on our planet. Water supports
plants, animals and helps distribute heat
on the earth.
Oceans & Seas
• Oceans, which are salt water sources,
cover nearly 71 percent of our planet.
• The oceans are really just one large body
of water, but it has been divided into 4
parts. (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Artic
Oceans)
Circulation of Salt Water
I. Currents
II. Waves
III. Tides
The motion of the ocean helps
distribute heat on the planet.
Hydrologic Cycle
 The continuous circulation of water
between the atmosphere, the oceans and
the earth.
Lakes
95% of all fresh water on earth is in lakes.
Lake Baikal in Russia is the largest freshwater
lake, volume wise, in the world. Contains 18%
of all the freshwater on earth.
Saltwater lakes develop due to changes in the
earth’s surface that cut off outlets to the sea.
Rivers & Streams
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Move water to or from larger bodies of water.
Connect into drainage systems.
Drainage basin- an area drained by a major river
and its tributaries.
Body of Water Facts
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Mariana Trench- Deepest spot in the Pacific Ocean.
(35,797 ft. deep)
Lake Titicaca in Peru is over 12,000 ft. above sea level.
Highest Navigable Lake
Dead Sea, considered a lake but called a sea. 1,370 ft.
below sea level.
Largest Freshwater Lake area wise is Lake Superior.
Largest Freshwater Lake volume wise is Lake Baikal.
Over 5,300 ft. deep
Facts Continued
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Pacific Ocean- Largest Ocean (Nearly 1/3 of earth’s
surface).
Artic Ocean- Smallest Ocean (10 times smaller than the
Pacific Ocean).
Nile River- Longest River (4,125 miles)
Amazon River- Largest River with water flow
Roe River- Shortest River (200 ft.)
Angel Falls- Highest Waterfall (3,212 ft.)
Landforms
 Natural
features on the earth’s
surface.
Examples include: Valley, glacier,
mountain,
canyon, cliff, plateau, volcano, mesa,
etc.
Chapter 2 Section 3
 Tectonic
Plates- enormous moving
plates of the earth’s lithosphere.
 Volcanoes
and earthquakes occur
due to shifting/moving of tectonic
plates.
 Internal forces that shape the earth’s
surface begin beneath the
lithosphere.
Movement of Tectonic Plates
1.
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4.
Spread or move apart
Subduction, or diving under another
plate
Collision, or crashing into other
plates
Sliding past each other
Boundaries of plate movement
 Divergent
 Convergent
 Transform
Earthquakes
 Earthquakes
are violent movements
of the earth.
 Fault- fracture in the earth’s crust
 Seismograph- device used to detect
earthquakes.
Damage of Earthquakes
1.
2.
3.
Landslides
Fires
Collapsed buildings
Richter Scale
 C.F.
Richter developed this scale to
measure the amount of energy
released by an earthquake.
Tsunami
 Earthquakes
can cause tsunamis,
giant wave in the ocean, to occur.
 Can travel as fast as 450 mph.
Waves can be as high as 50 to 100
ft. high.
Volcanoes
 Volcano-
a natural event formed
when magma, gases, and water from
the lower part of the crust or mantle
collect in underground chambers and
eventually erupt and pour out of
cracks in the earth’s surface.
Ring of Fire
A
zone around the rim of the Pacific
Ocean.
 In
some parts of the world volcanic
activity is used for heating and hot
water.