Download World Geography 2007 Chapter 2 Notes

World Geography
Chapter 2 Notes
Looking at the Earth
Section 1
Planet Earth
The Solar System
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Earth is part of a solar system
Sun is at center of solar system
1. Sun is a star
9 planets in the solar system
1. Earth is the 5th largest
2. Jupiter is the largest
Earth’s measurements
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93 million miles from Sun
3rd planet from Sun
Water, Land , and Air
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70% water
1. Hydrosphere – oceans, lakes, rivers
Land
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
Earth’s heights and depths
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Mt. Everest – highest point (
29,028 ft.)
Mariana Trench – lowest point
(35,000 ft)
Average height above sea level –
2,800 ft.
Inside the Earth (composed of four
layers)
Inner core – center of the Earth
(4,000 miles. below the surface)
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Outer core – made of iron and
nickel (begins about 1800 miles
below the surface)
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Mantle – a thick layer of dense hot
rock
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Crust – a thin layer next to the
surface (3 to 30 miles deep)
1. continents and ocean basins
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Earth’s changing structure
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Constantly changing due to internal
and external forces
Internal Forces
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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
Internal Forces Continued
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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)
External Forces
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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
External Forces Continued
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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
Section 2
Earth’s Features
Landforms
Natural features of the Earth’s
surface
 Classified by type to help people
locate them
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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
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Major landforms
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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
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)
Valley
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
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Water Continued
Freshwater
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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
Glaciers
Water Continued
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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
Section 3
Earth’s Resources
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
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Value of resources
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Use, supply, and changes over time
determine how valuable certain
natural resources are
1. Gold
2. Rubber trees
3. Uranium
Managing resources
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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
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
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