Chapter 2 – A Living Chapter 2 – A Living PlanetPlanet

Physical Geography

The study of the natural aspects of the Earth.

The EarthThe Earth

Earth's inner core is solid iron, its outer core is liquid iron mixed with other components, and its mantle is dense rock.  

Earth Inside and OutEarth Inside and Out

• Inside the Earth– Core

• Inner Core – Solid Iron ball• Outer Core – swirling melted metals

– Mantle• Contains most of the Earth’s mass

– Magma forms in mantle

On And On And Above Above

The EarthThe Earth

• Atmosphere– Layer of gases surrounding

the Earth

• Lithosphere– Solid rock portion of earth’s

surface– Underwater it’s called the

sea floor– Huge landmasses above the

sea floor are called CONTINENTS

• Hydrosphere– All water elements on earth

• Oceans, seas, rivers, water in atmosphere, etc.

The BiosphereThe Biosphere

•Biosphere

•Part of the earth where plants and animals live

•Made up of atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere

Bodies of Water and LandformsBodies of Water and Landforms

• Bodies of water– Many types of bodies of

water on Earth– Examples

• Oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, ground water

Hydrologic CycleHydrologic Cycle

Windward Side Leeward Side

TsunamiTsunami

• Giant waves in the ocean usually caused by massive shifts in the Earth’s crust

• Tsunami Animation

2-3 Internal Forces Shaping the 2-3 Internal Forces Shaping the EarthEarth

• Tectonic Plates– Huge masses of lithosphere that move and shift atop

the hot, molten asthenosphere.

• Continental Drift– The theory that

the continents have shifted over time into new positions on the face of the Earth

– Began with Pangaea

Plate MovementPlate Movement

Plate MovementPlate Movement

• 2) subduction or diving under another plate

Plate MovementPlate Movement

• 3) collision or crashing into each other

Plate MovementPlate Movement

• 4) shearing or sliding past each other

Plate A

Plate B

Types of Plate BoundariesTypes of Plate Boundaries

1) Divergent Boundary – Plates move away from each other. (Spreading)

2) Convergent Boundary – Plates move toward each other. (Subduction or Collision)

3) Transform Boundary – Plates slide past each other. (Shearing)

• When two plates meet they can cause folding or cracking– Fault – crack in the

Earth’s crust where two plates meet.

San Andreas Fault Line

EarthquakesEarthquakes

• Sudden shifts along fault line

• Seismograph– Special device that can detect vibrations in

the Earth’s surface– Richter Scale – a scale of measurement used

to determine how strong an earthquake is

VolcanoVolcano• Magma eruptions through crust of

the Earth. Many underwater.

Named after Vulcan the Roman god for fire and metal working. He was the protector of smiths, and was normally depicted as a bearded man, dressed as a worker and carrying the utensils of a smith.

• Ring of Fire– Ring of volcanoes and volcanic activity around the

Pacific Ocean

2-4 External Forces Shaping the 2-4 External Forces Shaping the EarthEarth

• Weathering– Mechanical, chemical

• Erosion– Water, Wind, Glacial

• Building Soil– Weathering and erosion break down the

Rocks of the Earth and create soil.