Transcript The Earth as the Home of Humans: Introduction to

The Earth as a Planet of Change:
Introduction to Physical Geography
By Mr. Friedel
TEKS: WG.3(A-C), WG.4(A-C).
2013
The Earth
Part 1: Earth-Sun Relationship
• Objective (WG.3A): Explain weather conditions and climate in
relation to annual changes in Earth-Sun relationships.
• We will explain how the earth sun-sun relationship affects
climate and seasons
• I will complete the earth-sun relationship graphic organizer
for notes
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest
and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System.
It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial
planets.
Radius: 3,959 miles (6,371 km)
Age: 4.54 billion years
Distance from Sun: 92,960,000 miles (149,600,000 km)
Mass: 5.972E24 kg
Population: 6.974 billion (2011) World Bank
Moon: Moon
The Earth’s Tilt
KEY VOCABULARY WORDS
• Tilt: the angle of incline of
the Earth’s axis affects the
temperature of a place.
• Revolution: the Earth’s trip
around the sun (one year)
• Rotation: the Earth
completely rotates on its
axis every 24 hours.
(alternating between night
and day)
5 Major Circles of Latitude
Latitude and Longitude
Greenhouse Effect
• Natural way for Earth to retain its warmth and
for plants and animals to survive.
• The planet Venus is the hottest planet in the
Solar System and is covered in a dense
atmosphere that retains the heat
Key Vocabulary/Concepts
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Rotation
Revolution
Position in Solar System
Solstice
Equinox
Seasons
Latitudinal Location
Part 2: The Four Spheres
of the Earth System
Part 2: The Four Spheres of the Earth System
• Objective (WG.4C) Examine the physical processes that affect
the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
• We will examine the physical processes that affect the Earth’s
four spheres.
• I will complete a graphic organizer of the Earth system.
The Earth’s Layers
The Earth’s Four Spheres
• The area near the surface of the earth can be divided
up into four inter-connected "geo-spheres:"
• Lithosphere
• Hydrosphere
• Biosphere
• Atmosphere
• The names of the four spheres are derived from the
Greek words for stone (litho), air (atmo), water
(hydro), and life (bio).
The Lithosphere
• Lithosphere: The lithosphere is the solid, rocky crust
covering entire planet. This crust is inorganic and is
composed of minerals
• It covers the entire surface of the earth from the top
of Mount Everest to the bottom of the ocean.
The Hydrosphere
• About 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water
• 97% percent of the water on the earth is salt water. Salt water is
filled with salt and other minerals, and humans cannot drink this
– Although the salt can be removed through desalinization, it is a
difficult and expensive process
• 2% of the water on earth is glacier ice at the North and South Poles.
– This ice is fresh water and could be melted; however, it is too far away
from where people live to be usable.
• Less than 1% of all the water on earth is fresh water that we can
actually use.
– We use this small amount of water for drinking, transportation,
heating and cooling, industry, and many other purposes.
The Atmosphere
• The atmosphere is the body of air which
surrounds our planet
• Most of our atmosphere is located close to the
earth's surface where it is most dense
• The air of our planet is 79% nitrogen and just
under 21% oxygen; the small amount
remaining is composed of carbon dioxide and
other gasses.
Layers of the Atmosphere
The Bisophere
• The biosphere is composed of all living
organisms
• Plants, animals, and one-celled organisms are
all part of the biosphere
• Most of the planet's life is found from three
meters below the ground to thirty meters
above it and in the top 200 meters of the
oceans and seas
The distribution of life on earth
How many of the
Earth’s spheres
can you see in this
picture?
Key Vocabulary/Concepts
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Atmosphere
Bisophere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Desalinization
How much of the Earth’s surface is covered in
water?
• How much of the Earth’s water can we drink?
Part 3: Weather and Climate
Part 3: Weather and Climate
• Objective (WG.4A): Explain how elevation, latitude, wind
systems, ocean currents, position on a continent, and
mountain barriers influence temperature, precipitation, and
distribution of climate regions.
• We will explain how physical geographic factors influence
climate
• I will complete a climagraph
Climate Vs. Weather
• Climate: The average temperature and
precipitation in an area over a long period
of time.
• Weather: Current temperature &
precipitation in an area (Short period of
time).
Factors that Influence Climate Regions
• Factors that affect climate regions
– Latitude
– Landforms
– Ocean (Currents: warm and cold, proximity)
– Wind (Prevailing)
– Continental Position
– Elevation
Remember LLOWCE
Important Lines of Latitude
Arctic Circle
66° N
Tropic of Cancer
23 1/2 ° N
Equator
0°
Tropic of Capricorn
Antarctic Circle
23 1/2 ° S
66° S
Latitude, latitude, latitude
• Latitude: The most influential factor that affects
climate type
• There are three latitude zones:
– Low Latitude- between 23 ½° N and 23 ½ ° S
– Mid Latitude- between 23 ½ °N and 66 ° N AND 23 ½ ° S and 66 ° S
– High Latitude- Poles; above 66 ° N AND below 66 ° S
Low Latitude Climates
Latitude
Range
Vegetation
Seasons
10° S to 25 ° N
Amazon basin, equatorial
Africa, East Indies, from
Sumatra to New Guinea
A canopy of tall trees
with layers of
shorter trees and
plants
underneath
Heavy rainfall in all
months, no
difference in
seasons
15° to 25° N and S
India, Southeast Asia, West
Africa, southern Africa,
South America, north
coast of Australia
Grasses, short trees
(Ex. Savanna in
Africa)
Warm year round,
wet and dry
seasons
18° to 28° N and S,
centered on
Tropics of
Cancer and
Capricorn
Western North America
(southwest U.S.)
southwest South America
(Chili) north central
Mexico, north Africa,
southwest Africa, central
Australia, north Asia
(China, Mongolia)
Scattered vegetation;
short grasses
and shrubs, cacti
Warm or cold,
little to no
precipitation year
round
Tropical
Rainforest
Tropical
Grasslands
Desert
World Location
©2012, TESCCC
Mid-Latitude Climates
Latitude
Range
World Location
Vegetation
Seasons/
Rainfall
Grasslands
Central areas of
continents
between 35° and
50° N
Western North America (Great
Plains); Central South
America, Central Africa
(Sahel) (Patagonia)
Eurasian interior
(Kazakhstan)
Grassland, few trees
Steppe: Central Asia
Llanos: Central South
America
Prairie: (North
America)
Savanna (Africa)
Low precipitation
year round,
hot summers,
cold winters
Humid
subtropical
Southeast coast
of continents
between 20°
and 40° N
and S
Southeastern North America,
Southeastern Asia,
Southeastern Australia
Coniferous/Deciduous
(mixed) Forests
and grassland
Warm, humid
summer, and
mild winters
precipitation
year round
30° to 50° N and
S
The Mediterranean basin, west
coasts of California, central
Chile, South Africa,
western/southern Australia
Shrubs, grasses, and
mixed trees
(Chaparral)
Long, hot, dry
summers, and
mild, rainy
winters
Mediterranean
©2012, TESCCC
Mid-Latitude Climates
Latitude
Range
Humid
Continental
World Location
Vegetation
Seasons/
Rainfall
30 to 55 N and
S, to 60 N in
Europe
North central North America;
north central Asia (China);
Korea; Japan; central and
eastern Europe
Mixed coniferous and
deciduous forest
Warm summer cold
winters,
moderate
rainfall
throughout the
year
30 to 60 N and S
West coast of N. America, west
coast of southern Chile,
and northwestern Europe
Mixed coniferous and
deciduous forests
Cool summers,
mild winters,
high rainfall
year round
Marine-West
Coast
©2012, TESCCC
High Latitude Climates
Latitude Range
World Location
Vegetation
Seasons/
Rainfall
50° to 60° N
Northern North America
and Eurasia
Coniferous forests - taiga
Extremely cold
winter, short,
cool summer
60° to 70° N
Northern North America
and Eurasia
Short grasses, mosses,
lichens, tundra
Extremely cold and
dry all year
Subarctic
Arctic
©2012, TESCCC
• Taiga is a biome characterized by
coniferous forests consisting mostly of
pines, spruces and larches.
• It is the world’s largest biome
Other Climates
Latitude
Range
Found all over
the world
Highland
©2012, TESCCC
World Location
Mountain Ranges:
Himalayas, Andes,
Rockies, Alps, etc.
Vegetation
Varies with elevation and
location on mountain.
Leeward side is drier
with less vegetation.
Seasons/Rainfall
Windward side
receives the most
rainfall while
leeward side
remains dry.
Distribution of Earth’s Major Climates
Landforms
• Landforms affect the status of climates by
interceding to the natural flow of weather
systems in a particular area.
• Some of the major effects of landforms to
climate are orographic lifting, the rainshadow
effect, creation of landform breezes that
affects temperatures and wind funnels.
Orographic Effect
• What is
going on
here?
Microclimate
Ocean’s Impact on Climate
• Water heats and cools slower than does land
• Milder climates near large bodies of water
• More extreme climates away from large
bodies of water (continental climate)
Ocean Currents
Humboldt Current
Shifts in Climate: El Niño and La Niña
• El Niño: is a band of anomalously warm ocean water temperatures that
occasionally develops off the western coast of South America and can
cause climatic changes across the Pacific Ocean.
• El Nino's typical winter impacts: Above-average precipitation from
Southern California to Texas and Florida. Drier-than-average in the Ohio
and Tennessee Valleys.
• La Niña: the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central
Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 3–5 °C.
• La Nina's typical winter impacts: Drier-than-average from Arizona to Texas
the Gulf Coast and Florida. Above-average precipitation in the Pacific
Northwest and Ohio Valley.
Wind Currents
Doldrums
Wind Currents
• Wind: Air moving
across a pressure
gradient
Impact of Global Wind Currents on Biosphere
Coriolis Effect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeY9tY9vKgs
The Coriolis Effect
• The Coriolis effect is the apparent deflection
of objects (such as airplanes, wind, missiles,
and ocean currents) moving in a straight path
relative to the earth's surface
• Its strength is proportional to the speed of the
earth's rotation at different latitudes but it has
an impact on moving objects across the globe.
The Coriolis Effect:
Hurricanes and Cycles
Hurricane Katrina
Continental Location Impacts Climate
Elevation Impacts Climate
Climagraph
Key Vocabulary/Concepts
• Weather
• Climate
• Factors that Impact Climate
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Latitude (most important)
Landforms
Ocean (Currents: warm and cold, proximity)
Wind (Prevailing)
Continental Position
Elevation
Orographic Effect
El Niño and La Niña
Climagraph
Coriolis Effect
Part 4: Earth’s Landforms
Part 4: Earth’s Landforms
• Objective (WG.4B): Explain landforms and the
physical processes that cause their
development.
• We will explain landforms and the physical
processes that cause their development.
• I will complete the earth-sun relationship
graphic organizer for notes
Earth’s Landforms
The Earth’s Layers
Plate Tectonics
• Geologists have an explanation—a scientific theory—of
how the Earth's surface behaves called plate tectonics
• Tectonics means large-scale structure. So "plate
tectonics" says that the large-scale structure of the
Earth's outer shell is a set of plates
• Plates move with respect to each other in three ways:
– they move together (converge)
– they move apart (diverge)
– they move past each other (transform).
The Plates Fit Together
The Earth’s Plates
Forces that Cause Tectonic Movement
• Slab pull
• Ridge Push
• Convection
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
• Transform (San Andreas Fault)
• Diverging (Mid-Oceanic Ridge, Great Rift Valley)
• Converging (Two Types)
– Same type of plates colliding (example: continental to
continental which creates folded mountains like the
Himalayas)
– Different types of plates colliding (example: ocean to
continental causing subduction zone, coastal ranges like
the Andes Mountains, etc.)
Plate Tectonics
• An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in
the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves
• A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the
displacement of a large volume of a body of water (usually
from an earthquake or volcano)
• A Volcano is an opening, or rupture, in a planet's surface or
crust, which allows hot magma, volcanic ash and gases to
escape from the magma chamber below
Tsunami in Japan, 2011
Processes that Formed Different Landforms
Weathering
• Weathering: Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils
and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact
with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters
• Erosion is the process by which soil and rock are removed
from the Earth's surface by processes such as wind or water
flow, and then transported and deposited in other locations.
How did this u-shaped valley happen?
River Deltas
Plateau: an area of relatively level high ground
Key Vocabulary/Concepts
• Plate Tectonics
– Diverging
– Converging (two types)
– Transform
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Earthquakes
Weathering
Erosion
River Delta
Ring of Fire