Date post: | 20-Jun-2015 |
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Inside the Earth – Third Rock from the Sun
• The Earth is not a solid rock, but instead consists of layers
• Inner Core – solid iron and nickel• Outer Core – liquid iron and
nickel (contains the basis for our magnetic field – that protects us from most forms of solar radiation)
• Mantle – semisoft melted rock• Crust – thin cooled skin that
“floats” on the mantle – contains cracks and moves
• Movement of the crust causes earthquakes and volcanoes
Plate Tectonics• The Earth’s crust is
broken into plates• The plates move along
the flowing mantle in different directions
• Pressure between the plates builds up until it is released by an earthquake
• Ring of Fire – hundreds of volcanoes around the Pacific Rim where the Pacific plate interacts with other plates
Air and Water – Necessary for Life on Earth• Air– Contained with the Earth’s atmosphere – a layer of gasses that
surround the planet– Actually composed of many different types of gasses
• Nitrogen – about 78% (essential for development of proteins)• Oxygen – about 21% (essential for respiration)• Others – about 1% combined
• Water– 97% of the water on Earth is found in the Ocean – it’s salty– Only 3% of the water on Earth is fresh
• Mostly found in the polar caps and glaciers (huge ice sheets found on mountains, Antarctica and Greenland)
• Great deal is underground – sometimes miles deep• Very little (0.3%) is at the surface (mostly lakes) and therefore useable by
living organisms – very important to conserve and keep clean what we have
Water Cycle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkELENdZukI
Wind and Water help keep the earth from overheating
• Wind– Hot air rises – so air in the tropics
rises and is carried towards the polar regions
– Cold air in the polar regions sinks to the surface and flows towards the tropics
– Cold air – can not hold much water vapor
– Warm air – can hold more water vapor
– Wind happens when the air flows from the areas where it’s sinking to areas where it’s rising
– The Earth’s rotation helps drive wind direction
• Water– Warm water is lighter
than cold, dense water– Water in tropical regions
flows slowly towards the polar regions
– Cold water in the polar regions sinks to the bottom of the ocean and flows south towards the tropical regions, where the cycle begins all over
Chapter 2.2Natural Resources
• Natural resources are anything from the Earth that people use in meeting their needs for– Food – Clothing – Shelter
• Examples;
Chapter 2.2Types of Natural Resources (raw material)
• Recyclable Resources – Recycle naturally through the earth itself– Water, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen– Can refer to items that can be reused without replacing the resource
• Aluminum • Plastic• Paper
• Renewable Resources– Resources that can be replaced by man– Wood – trees can be replanted– Biodiesel and ethanol – crops can be replanted
• Nonrenewable Resources– Can not be replaced– Important to conserve and use wisely -- they’re no longer being created– Oil, natural gas, coal, minerals
Energy Resources• Energy is needed
for every living thing
• Fossil Fuels – Include coal,
natural gases, petroleum (oil byproduct)
• Problem? Not everyone has oil I their back yard– Saudi Arabia and
Mexico have large amounts of oil but other countries like the US and China have more natural gas and coal
New Supplies Needed!!• 1979 OPEC raised the price of oil– What was the outcome?• Gas prices went up • Countries with limited sources of oil had to buy at
an increased price raising their asking price for products– A global problem?
• EVERYONE NEEDS OIL– THE SEARCH IS ON!!
Chapter 2.3Climate vs. Weather
• Climate– Long term average weather in
any one place or region– “the climate in Jamaica is
tropical”– Largely affected by wind
patterns, water currents and major landforms
– Changes take place over years or even millennia
• Weather– Day to day changes in the air
in terms of precipitation and / or temperature
– “It’s 90 degrees today”– Affected by the movement
of storms around the planet– Changes rapidly over a few
days
Broad Types of Climate on Earth• Tropical
– Low latitudes around the Equator– Generally hot, wet and sunny– Rain forests dominate
• Dry– Different places around the Earth – generally on the opposite side of mountain ranges from wind
flow– Little to rain with sandy soil– Sparse to no vegetation
• Moderate– Found in the middle latitudes (like Connecticut)– Temperatures and rainfall are generally moderate enough every year to promote agricultural
production• Continental
– Hot summers and bitterly cold winters– Generally drier than moderate climates– Large grasslands in some areas and forests in others
• Polar– Found in high latitudes– Cold all year round– Vegetation includes low shrubs, mosses– Very little life found in these regions
Map showing relative positions of the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current