Earths Structure and

Motion


Formation of the earth
Nebular Hypothesis
4.5 bya
Cloud of gas and dusthit by metiorites
Early atmosphere from volcanoes and
outgassing of rock
Radiometric dating (metiorites)

National Geographic formation of earth

Earths Size and Shape
As the Earth formed, spinning motion
caused it to form into a sphere that
bulges at the center. (oblate spheroid)
Earth Interior
The material of the Earth separated into
several layers, with denser material
toward the center
Layers of the Earth

1. Inner core
Composed of solid iron and nickelmost dense
Believed to keep magnetic field around earth

2. Outer core: surrounds the inner core.
Composed of liquid (molten) iron and nickel


3. Mantle: surrounds the core.
Thickest of Earths layers
Composed of compounds rich in iron, silicon, and magnesium
Although solid, high pressure and temperature cause the
mantle to behave as a liquid in some ways

4. Crust: surrounds the mantle.
Thin rigid layer of lighter rocks, includes the Earths surface
Lithosphere: crust and uppermost portion of the mantle
Asthenosphere: under the lithosphere thin, slushlike
layer of the mantle

Earths Interior
Formation of oceans
Outgassing of rocks and comets
3.8 BYA condensed as earth cooled
Rained and filled basins into oceans
Salt from land runoff


National Geographic formation of
ocean

Pangea
All continents
were connected
--movement caused
by convection
currents
Continental crustgranite
Thick, less dense

Oceanic crustbasalt
Thinner, more dense
Atmosphere

The gases surrounding Earth
Early atmosphere--volcanoes
CO2, methane, ammonia, water vapor
No ozone

Composition of Air
nitrogen, oxygen,
argon, carbon
dioxide and other
noble gasses

The gas that is most
abundant is nitrogen
First Life
Ocean vents (volcanoes)
Chemosynthetic bacteria produce O2
2.5 BYA

Ozone

Mankind rising part 1

Earths spheres
Atmosphere
Geosphere
Hydrosphere
biosphere
Layers of the
Atmosphere
Key Concepts
Atmosphere
The surrounding air of the Earth

4 Layers of the atmosphere
1. troposphere
2. mesosphere
3. thermosphere
4. stratosphere

Troposphere
closest to the surface
of the earth
Its elevation ranges
from 0 to 10 km

Our weather takes
place in the
troposphere
Stratosphere
This layer sits on top
of the troposphere
Its elevation ranges
from 10 km to
around 25 km
This layer contains
the ozone layer,
which protects us
from harmful
sunlight
Mesosphere
This layer is above
the stratosphere
Its elevation ranges
from 25 to 100 km
Layer where most
meteroids burn up

Thermosphere
This is the highest
layer of the
atmosphere
Its height ranges
from 100 to 400 km
The location in the
atmosphere that the
northern lights occur
(aurora borealis)

Geosphere
rocks, mountains, beaches, and all other
physical features of the planet (except
water.)
The geosphere includes the ocean floor
and the rock layers beneath our feet
that we cannot see.
Geo means earth
Hydrosphere
water in the oceans, lakes, rivers, and
groundwater.

Also includes the water locked up in ice
and snow
Hydro means water
All the water on Earth is continually
recycled.

Biosphere

living things on the planet.
Bio means life
Interaction Among the
Spheres
Name the spheres put a, g, h, or b in the
blanks on your guided notes.

1. Volcanoes __ erupt, sending ash and gases in to
the air __ and lava and ash down onto
surrounding forests __ and human habitations
__.
2. Plants __ draw carbon dioxide from the air __
and water from the ground __, then release
oxygen and water vapor into the air __. Plants
are eaten by animals __.
3. Human beings __ drill wells into Earths crust __
to draw out groundwater __ for drinking and
irrigation of crops __.

How Interactions Change the
Spheres

Erosion effect of the hydrosphere and
the atmosphere on the geosphere.
Photosynthesis affects the
composition of the atmosphere.
Storms can damage homes and crops.
The Solar System
The solar system consists of the sun and
all the bodies that orbit the sun
including the nine planets (mars, venus,
Mercury) and belt of
asteroids.
EarthThird rock from the sun
Which is the only planet able to support
life? The earth.
1. Liquid water
Water helps maintain a steady surface
temperature (slow to cool and release heat)
2. Oxygen surrounding planetfrom
photosynthesis
3. Ozone
4. Magnetic field



Hydrosphere:
70% of surface covered in water
97% salt water
3% fresh water
94% of fresh water in glaciers


Types of Fresh water
Surface Waterwater in lakes, streams,
and rain runoff
Ground Waterwater beneath the
surface.
Biosphere
All parts of earth that support lifefloor
of ocean to tops of mountain
20 km thick
Most life exists between 500 m below
the surface of the ocean and 6 km
above sea level
Beyond this range is not enough oxygen
or pressure to great deep in ocean

Biosphere:
All organisms depend on the biosphere for
lifewater, air and food
Changes in biosphere can effect organisms
living in biosphere:
Seawater compositioneffect ocean creatures
Pollutionatmosphere and food sources
All species and environment are interrelateda
small change can effect the entire chain