Origin of the EarthOrigin of the Earth

and Oceanand Ocean

Age of the UniverseAge of the Universe

The universe is thought to be about 15 The universe is thought to be about 15 billion years old. The “Big Bang” theory billion years old. The “Big Bang” theory states that it started off as a compact states that it started off as a compact mass of matter, and is presently mass of matter, and is presently expanding at a very fast rate. expanding at a very fast rate.

Age of the EarthAge of the Earth Our planet was a giant, red hot, boiling sea of molten rock - a Our planet was a giant, red hot, boiling sea of molten rock - a

magma ocean, about 4.6 billion years ago. The heat had been magma ocean, about 4.6 billion years ago. The heat had been generated by the repeated high speed collisions of much smaller generated by the repeated high speed collisions of much smaller bodies of space rocks that continually clumped together as they bodies of space rocks that continually clumped together as they collided to form this planet. As the collisions tapered off the earth collided to form this planet. As the collisions tapered off the earth began to cool, forming a thin crust on its surface began to cool, forming a thin crust on its surface , and gravity , and gravity pulled most of the pulled most of the iron and nickeliron and nickel inward to form a inward to form a corecore. The lighter . The lighter minerals floated to the surface to form the minerals floated to the surface to form the crustcrust. (process lasted . (process lasted about 100 million years)about 100 million years)

Origin of the OceanOrigin of the Ocean

Oceans formed from water vapour trapped Oceans formed from water vapour trapped within the earth and released due to within the earth and released due to volcanic activity, about 4 billion years ago.volcanic activity, about 4 billion years ago.

Formation of the OceanFormation of the Ocean

Hot vapours rose into the atmosphere, Hot vapours rose into the atmosphere, cooled, formed clouds and rained. (this cooled, formed clouds and rained. (this lasted for about 10 million years)lasted for about 10 million years)

Formation of the OceanFormation of the Ocean

Initially, vapour was Initially, vapour was boiling when it hit the boiling when it hit the Earth, and re-Earth, and re-evaporated. evaporated. Eventually the surface Eventually the surface became cooler, rain became cooler, rain stayed and formed stayed and formed primitive oceans in primitive oceans in basins. Minerals basins. Minerals began to dissolve into began to dissolve into it resulting in salinity.it resulting in salinity.

Origin of LifeOrigin of Life

About 3.5 billion years ago as clouds broke up, About 3.5 billion years ago as clouds broke up, sunlightsunlight filtered through and enabled filtered through and enabled photosynthesisphotosynthesis to take place. to take place.

First Interaction Between Life and First Interaction Between Life and LandLand

Oxygen was formed in the ocean before land. Tiny Oxygen was formed in the ocean before land. Tiny bacteria called bacteria called stromatolitesstromatolites were among the first were among the first organisms to produce oxygen through organisms to produce oxygen through photosynthesisphotosynthesis..

PangaeaPangaea

Separation of PangaeaSeparation of Pangaea

Sea Floor SpreadingSea Floor Spreading

Plate TectonicsPlate Tectonics

The Earths crust being created and destroyed.The Earths crust being created and destroyed.

Commotion Beneath the OceanCommotion Beneath the Ocean

The dynamic planetThe dynamic planet