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Surface Features of the Earth,

Earth System
The Earth in Space
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MIoGTL0FhY

Our galaxy: the Milky Way

Earth & other bodies in the solar system orbit the Sun, our solar system is
one among many in the Milky Way

Size of the Milky Way

100,000 120,000 light-years in diameter and about 1,000 light-years

thick

9.5 x 1017 to 11.4 x 1017 km diameter

Closest galaxy: Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy (its stars are being added to MW
disk)

Consumed Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy among others

The Solar System

located 25,000 light years to the galactic center & from the rim (halfway
between the center & the edge)

Located in a region called the Orion-Cygnus Arm

our solar system is in the Milky Way Galaxy

has central mass & arms

we are in the Orion arm

100,000 120,000 light-years in diameter and about 1,000 light-years

thick

9.5 x 1017 to 11.4 x 1017 km diameter

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 1

 Inner terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

Asteroid belt

Gaseous planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Pluto is a dwarf planet

The Earth 🌏
Hydrosphere (blue planet)

Atmosphere (clouds)

Geosphere/Lithosphere (solid part of earth)

Biosphere (living things)

Size & Shape of the Earth

Spherical but oblate

satellite images: curvature

Shadow during eclipse

"Disappearing" ships at sea

Polar radius: 6,357 km

Equatorial radius: 6,378 km

Volume: 1.083 x 10²⁷ cm³

Radius of sphere w Earth's volume: 6,371 km

Eratosthenes & His Estimate of Earth's size

observed that during summer solstice (when sunlight is longest), at
noontime, the sun's rays shined directly at the well and no shadow was
cast

at the same time, north of Syene the sun cast a shadow on a different well
at an angle

he measured the angle between the rays of the sun & the vertical of the
well → calculated circumference of the earth

Assumptions

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 2

 sun's rays are travelling parallel

Spherical shape

Radius (r) = arc length / angle

Surface of the Earth

Surface area: 1.083 x 10¹⁸ cm²

% Ocean: 71%

% Land: 29%

Average elevation of land: 623 m

Average depth of ocean: 3,800 m

oceans deeper than continents are tall

difference in density of continental crust & oceanic crust

Mass & Density of the Earth

mass of the earth = 5.9 x 10²⁴ kg

F = GM₁M₂

W = mg = GmMₑ / r²

Mₑ = gr² / G

density of the earth (mass / volume) = 5.517 g/cm³

density of most rocks at the surface = 12.9 g/cm³

The Earth System

Atmosphere ☁
Mass is less than 0.0% of mass of the Earth

Composition:

Nitrogen: 78%

Oxygen: 21%

other elements

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 3

 evolved, present day composition is diff from past

Stratification & Pressure - Temperature Variations

Troposphere (around 10km)

all weather phenomena occur here

temperature decreases w increasing altitude

Tropopause

Stratosphere

Temperature increases w increasing altitude

Ozone layer: protects us from harmful UV rays

Stratopause

Mesosphere

temperature decreases w increasing altitude

this is where incoming meteros/meteorites burn

Mesopause

Thermosphere

air is rarified → less air molecules per unit volume in higher altitudes

Atmospheric Circulation
low latitudes = insolation is the highest

warm humid air as clouds in equatorial region

direct contact of sun's rays along the equator (perpendicular) → heats

up a smaller surface area, light is more concentrated here

north & south border: cloud-free where air descends

higher latitudes: cyclonic systems where warm air interacts w cold air

The Hydrosphere 💧
total mass of water on Earth's surface

98% in oceans, 2% in streams, lakes, ground water, glaciers

covers 71% of Earth's surface

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 4

 influence on weather and climate

cold vs warm ocean currents

major source of water for hydrologic cycle

The Geosphere 💩
Large scale features
Continents

Mountain chains Andes. Alps, Himalayas, American Cordillera etc)

Island arcs Philippines, Indonesia, Japan etc)

Submarine landscape

Oceanic ridges

Abyssal plains

Intraplate volcanoes/guyots (submerged flat-topped

volcanoes)/Oceanic islands

Transform fault

Trenches

Oceanic ridges

Abyssal plains

Intraplate volcanoes/guyots (submerged flat-topped

volcanoes)/Oceanic islands

Transform fault

Trenches

The Biosphere 🌱
part of the Earth where life exists

Set of all life forms

estimated to be 330 million, 1.5M recorded

Insects are more than half of all known species

4,000 mammals

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 5

 Narrow zone

depth which sunlight penetrates ocean (~ 200 m) to snowline in tropical

& subtropical mountains (~ 6000 m)

Isolated communities at ocean ride (black smokers: energy from heat &
chemical reactions)

Life in oceanic crust

Main factors for distribution of life: pressure, temperature, chemistry

Goldilocks condition: Earth is not too hot or cold, and liquid water exists

Questions:
 How old is the Earth? 4.543 B years

 What is/are the source of information regarding Earth’s History? evolution

of the continents, oceans, atmosphere, and biosphere ?

 The Earth is not the center of the solar system and the solar system is not
even at
the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Which part of the Milky Way does the
solar
system reside? Orion-Cygnus arm, located 25,000 light years to the
galactic center & from the rim (halfway between the center & the edge)

 The inner terrestrial planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars and beyond
the
asteroid belt are the gaseous planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and
Neptune). What
is the meaning of terrestrial? terrestrial means earth, they have rocky &
solid surfaces

 The Earth is the “third rock” from the Sun but is also referred to as the Blue
Planet.
What does the Earth has an abundance of that other planets lack? water in
3 forms (solid, liquid, gas)

 What is the true shape of the Earth? oblate spheroid

 Why is the Earth bulging at the equator? centrifugal forces of its rotation
make it bulge outwards

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 6

  Explain the assumptions and method used by Eratosthenes to calculate the
circumference of the Earth.

 observed that during summer solstice (when sunlight is longest), at

noontime, the sun's rays shined directly at the well and no shadow
was cast - at the same time, north of Syene the sun cast a shadow on
a different well at an angle

 he measured the angle between the rays of the sun & the vertical of
the well → calculated circumference of the earth

 Assumptions - sun's rays are travelling parallel & Earth has a

spherical shape

 How much of the Earth is Land and how much of it is covered by water?
71% ocean, 29% land

 Why are the oceans at an average deeper than the continents are tall?
oceanic crust is thin & dense while continental crust is thick & light

 What is a hypsographic curve? What information can we get from the
hypsographic
curve? shows the average topography of the earth, percentage area,
depth below & above sea level

 How do you calculate for the mass of the Earth?

F = GM₁M₂

W = mg = GmMₑ / r²

Mₑ = gr² / G = 5.9 x 10²⁴ kg

 If the average density of the Earth is 5.517 g/cm3 and the rocks on the
surface is
from 12.9 g/cm3, what conclusions can you make regarding the density of
rocks in
the Earth’s Interior? What are the implications?

the rocks below the crust must be greater than the ones on the
surface, aka VERY DENSE

the earth is not homogenous, it is heterogenous

 What is the current composition of the Atmosphere? Has the composition
of the

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 7

 Earth’s evolved through time? 78% nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, other elements.
yes changed through time

 How does the Earth’s atmosphere change with increasing altitude? What is
the basis
for separating the atmosphere into vertical layers?

⬆ altitude = ⬇ amount of gas molecules (less dense, "thin air")

Layers are separated based on temperature

1 Troposphere, 3 Mesosphere: higher altitude = lower temperature

2 Stratosphere, 4 - Thermosphere: higher altitude = higher

temperture

 Why does the atmosphere circulate? What is meant by insolation?

The cause of air circulation in earth's atmosphere is due to the

uneven heating of the earth's surface

insolation: solar radiation received in the Earth's atmosphere or at its

surface

 Identify the different continental land masses.

 Asia

 North America

 South America

 Africa

 Australia

 Europe

 Antartica

 What are the large-scale features of the ocean floor?

Oceanic ridges

Abyssal plains

Intraplate volcanoes/guyots (submerged flat-topped

volcanoes)/Oceanic islands

Transform fault

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 8

 Trenches

 What is the Biosphere? part of the Earth where life exists, the set of all life
forms

 What are the main factors that control the distribution of life on Earth?
pressure, temperature, chemistry

 What makes the Earth unique among the other planets in the Solar System?
not too hot or cold, presence of liquid water, life exists

Surface Features of the Earth, Earth System 9