The Earth Outline

Name ______Period ______

The Earth Outline

Earth’s Shape

•Earth is an ______, slightly flattened at the ______and bulging a little at the ______

•From outer space, ______looks perfectly ______and ______

Earth’s Structure

•The Earth has ______major parts

–______(______)

The Lithosphere

•The dense, solid ______of the earth composed of ______and ______that surrounds the more fluid inner layers

The Hydrosphere

•The ______of the earth including the ______, lakes, rivers, and ______in the ______

•Covers over ______% of the earth’s ______

The Atmosphere

•The shell of ______that surround the earth and is ______into zones

–______ contains the gasses necessary for _____

•78% ______, 21% ______, 1% other gasses

•Strong winds and storms along with most of the water vapor and clouds

–______

Earth’s Magnetic Field

•Our planet has a ______field as if a giant bar ______were buried within Earth.

•When you use a magnetic ______, the compass needle points toward Earth’s magnetic ______that is very close to the ______North Pole.

Locating Positions on Earth

•______System

–Scientists have established a surface ______(______) that you can use to ______any ______on Earth.

–Each pair of ______(2 numbers) are called the latitude and longitude

•______ are distances in degrees ______or ______of the ______

–The ______ is an imaginary line that circles the Earth ______between the ______Pole and the ______Pole.

•______ are distances in degrees ______or ______of the ______

–The ______ is an imaginary line that runs through ______, England, from the ______Pole to the ______Pole

Coordinate System

Navigation

•The science of ______your ______on ______

•Any location ______of the equator has a latitude that is ______to the angle of ______(the ______Star’s altitude) above the ______

Finding the Altitude of a Star

•The ______ is the angular height above the ______

•Measurement can be made using an ______

–A protractor with a heavy weight suspended

Solar Time and Clock Time

•______time is based on observations of the ______

•______is the time when the ______reaches its ______point in the ______

Calculating Longitude

•Find the difference between ______clock time and ______time

•______this time difference by ______° per hour

•If local time is ______than Greenwich time, your position is ______of the prime meridian or ______Longitude

Fields

•A region of ______where every point or location can be measured

•______ connect points of equal values on a field map

•______connect points of equal ______

•______ connect points of equal ______pressure

•______ connect point of equal ______

Topographic Map (Contour Map)

•Show the ______of the Earth’s ______

•Contour lines drawn on a map give the ______for a region

•Where the lines are ______, the slope of the ground is ______

Contour Map Example

Which hill is higher, hill A or hill B?
Which hill is steeper, hill A or hill B?
How many feet of elevation are there between contour lines?
How high is hill A? Hill B?
Are the contour lines closer on hill A or hill B?

Topographic Profile

•A cross sectional view that shows the ______of the ______

Determining Gradient and Slope

•The ______of change in field values between two points in a field

•The average ______, or gradient, between any two ______(A and B) on a mountain can be determined from a contour map

Determining Gradient Sample Problem

•Calculate the average slope of a mountain trail from the 980-meter contour line to the 480-meter contour.

•The distance between these two elevations measures 4 kilometers.

The Earth Outline –Teacher Guide (Key)

Earth’s Shape

•Earth is an oblate spheroid, slightly flattened at the poles and bulging a little at the equator

•From outer space, Earth looks perfectly round and smooth

Earth’s Structure

•The Earth has three major parts

–Lithosphere (solid)

–Hydrosphere (liquid)

–Atmosphere (gas)

The Lithosphere

•The dense, solid shell of the earth composed of rock and soil that surrounds the more fluid inner layers

The Hydrosphere

•The waters of the earth including the oceans, lakes, rivers, and water in the ground

•Covers 70% of the earth’s surface

The Atmosphere

•The shell of gasses that surround the earth and is layered into zones

–Troposphere contains the gasses necessary for life

•78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gasses

•Strong winds and storms along with most of the water vapor and clouds

–Stratosphere

–Mesosphere

–Thermosphere

Earth’s Magnetic Field

•Our planet has a magnetic field as if a giant bar magnet were buried within Earth.

•When you use a magnetic compass, the compass needle points toward Earth’s magnetic pole that is very close to the geographic north pole.

Locating Positions on Earth

•Coordinate System

–Scientists have established a surface grid (lines) that you can use to locate any position on Earth.

–Each pair of coordinates (2 numbers) are called the latitude and longitude

•Latitude are distances in degrees north or south of the equator

–The Equator is an imaginary line that circles the Earth halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole.

•Longitude are distances in degrees east or west of the prime meridian

–The Prime Meridian is an imaginary line that runs through Greenwich, England, from the North Pole to the South Pole

Navigation

•The science of locating your position on Earth

•Any location north of the equator has a latitude that is equal to the angle of Polaris (the North Star’s altitude) above the horizon

Finding the Altitude of a Star

•The altitude is the angular height above the horizon

•Measurement can be made using an astrolabe

–A protractor with a heavy weight suspended

Solar Time and Clock Time

•Clock time is based on observations of the sun

•Noon is the time when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky

Calculating Longitude

Find the difference between local clock time and Greenwich time
Multiply this time difference by 15° per hour
If local time is earlier than Greenwich time, your position is West of the prime meridian or West Longitude
If local time is later than Greenwich time, your position is east of the prime meridian or East Longitude

Fields

•A region of space where every point or location can be measured

•Isolines connect points of equal values on a field map

•Isotherms connect points of equal temperatures

•Isobars connect points of equal air pressure

•Contour lines connect point of equal elevation

Topographic Map (Contour Map)

•Show the shape of the Earth’s Surface

•Contour lines drawn on a map give the elevations for a region

•Where the lines are close, the slope of the ground is steep

•Where the lines are far apart, the slope of the ground is gentle

Contour Map Example

Which hill is higher, hill A or hill B? B
Which hill is steeper, hill A or hill B? B
How many feet of elevation are there between contour lines? 10 feet
How high is hill A? Hill B? 42 feet, 52 feet
Are the contour lines closer on hill A or hill B? B

Topographic Profile

•A cross sectional view that shows the elevation of the land

Determining Gradient and Slope

•The rate of change in field values between two points in a field

•The average slope, or gradient, between any two points (A and B) on a mountain can be determined from a contour map

Determining Gradient Sample Problem

•Calculate the average slope of a mountain trail from the 980-meter contour line to the 480-meter contour.

•The distance between these two elevations measures 4 kilometers.