DEFINITION

GEOLOGY
(Greek ) Earth The study of

Geology = The study of Earth

Earths Movement

Rotation
The

Earth rotates on its Rotational Axis The Earth's axis is tipped over about 23.5 from vertical. 1 rotation= 24 hours

Revolution The orbit of the Earth around the sun 1 revolution= 365.26 days The Earths orbit is Elliptical Along with Rotation, causes the Earths seasons

Earths Composition

Atmosphere

Gaseous envelope that surrounds the Earth. Gases that make up earth's atmosphere: nitrogen (78% ), oxygen ( 21%). Various trace(2%) Has 5 layers

Layers of the Atmosphere

Troposphere

Where weather occurs. Begins at the surface of the earth and extends out to about 4-12 miles. The temperature of the troposphere decreases with height. Known as the lower atmosphere.

Stratosphere

Extends to about 30-35 miles above the earth's surface. Temperature rises within the stratosphere but still remains well below freezing. Contains the O-Zone layer, which absorbs the harmful rays of the sun

Mesosphere

35 to 50 miles above the surface of the earth Air is especially thin and molecules are great distances apart. Temperatures in the mesosphere reach a low of -184F (-120C).

Thermosphere

Rises several hundred miles above the earth's surface, from 50 miles up to about 400 miles. Temperature increases with height and can rise to as high as 3,600F (2000C). The air would feel cold because the hot molecules are so far apart.

Exosphere

Extending from the top of the thermosphere to 6200 miles (10,000 km) above the earth This layer has very few atmospheric molecules, which can escape into space.

Geosphere

Refers to the densest Earth zones, comprised of rock and a substance that forms on rock called regolith. Consists of the inside of the Earth or other planets or bodies. Has 4 layers

Layers of the Geosphere

Crust

Outermost layer Approx. 40-70 km Thick Cool What we live on Composed of rocks, various materials make up the crust

Mantle

Comprises 84% of the Earths volume Is approximately 2900 km thick Solid and Liquid

Outer Core

Hot, but not as hot as the inner core Liquid Composed of Iron and Nickel

Inner Core

HOT Thought to be as hot as the surface of the Sun! Solid

Composed of Iron and Nickel

Hydrosphere

The liquid water component of the Earth. It includes the oceans, seas, lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. The hydrosphere covers about 70% of the surface of the Earth and is the home for many plants and animals. 97% of the earth's water is in the oceans. The remaining three percent is fresh water 3/4 of the fresh water is solid and exists in ice sheets

TIME ZONES

Time Zones

Generally refers to any of the 24 regions of the earths surface in which standard time is kept. The Greenwich Meridian bisects the primary division of time zones. Each time zone is 15 degrees of longitude in width and observes a clock time one hour earlier than the zone immediately to the east.

International Date Line

An imaginary line on the Earth's surface that is internationally agreed upon as the place where each new calendar day begins. the 180 line of longitude and 0 longitude is approximately The calendar day to the east of the line is one day earlier than it is to the west of the line. Established at the International Meridian Conference in 1884 in order to standardize time, especially for the purpose of travel.

LOCATING PLACES

LATITUDE

Imaginary lines running horizontally around the globe. Equidistant from each other. Each degree of latitude is about 69 miles (110 km) apart. Zero degrees (0) latitude is the equator, the widest circumference of the globe. Latitude is measured from 0 to 90 north and 0 to 90 south90 north is the North Pole and 90 south is the South Pole.

LONGITUDE

Imaginary lines running vertically Also called meridians, running vertically around the globe. Not parallel. Meridians meet at the poles and are widest apart at the equator. Zero degrees longitude (0) is called the prime meridian. he degrees of longitude run 180 east and 180 west from the prime meridian.

Using Latitude and Longitude

To fine your exact location on a map, you need to determine which latitude line and which longitude line meet where you are standing. When writing locations, the latitude is given first. For example Miami, Florida, has a location of 25 North and 80 West. This is usually written in a short form as 25 N 80 W South of the parallel the sun appears less than 90 from the northern horizon at any day of the year.

EXAMPLE

Instructions: Read and Guess the location 5136'N 0005'W Clue: Beatles 1855'S 4731'E Clue: I like to move it move it! 3955'N 11620'E Clue: Siomai? Siopao?

Tropic of Capricorn,

Parallel of latitude at 2330' south of the equator It is the southern boundary of the tropics. This parallel marks the farthest point south at which the sun can be seen directly overhead at noon

Tropic of Cancer

Parallel of latitude at 2330' north of the equator It is the northern boundary of the tropics. This parallel marks the farthest point north at which the sun can be seen directly overhead at noon North of the parallel the sun appears less than 90 from the southern horizon at any day of the year.

Equator

Located at zero degrees latitude (North or south,) is 24,901.55 miles long and divides the Planet Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Prime Meridian

Zero degrees longitude (0). The prime meridian runs through the Royal Greenwich Observatory in Greenwich, England

Arctic Circle

Its exact location varies slightly each year, and currently it's positioned at 66 33 44 (or 66.5622) north of the Equator.

Antarctic Circle

This parallel of latitude is currently at 66 33 44 (or 66.5622) south of the Equator.

Sources

http://www.windows2universe.org/the_universe/u ts/earth2.html http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/ 6h.html http://www.timeanddate.com/time/timezones.html http://australianmuseum.net.au/Structure-andcomposition-of-the-Earth http://www.answers.com/topic/atmosphere http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_1_1.htm

http://geography.about.com/od/physicalgeograph y/a/idl.htm http://www.thefreedictionary.com/International+ Date+Line http://geography.about.com/od/physicalgeograph y/p/layeratmosphere.htm http://geology.about.com/od/mantle/tp/mantleintr o.htm http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/hydro/hydrosphere/hydr osphere_what.html

Submitted By:
Sison Rodriguez Anne Janica Catabay Adrian Myron Gonda Jacquelyn Quadros Ana Eliza Fernandez BACMS-2A