Earth’s Surface: Unit 1

The Big Idea:Continuous processes on Earth’s surface result in the formation and destruction of landforms and the formation of soil.

What on Earth?• Earth systems- all of the matter,

energy, and processes within Earth’s boundary.

http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/earthsystems/images/print_main_icon.jpg

http://www.isws.illinois.edu/nitro/images/biggraph.jpg

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Earth’s Spheres

Geosphere• Geosphere- mostly solid,

rock part of Earth. It extends from the center to the surface of Earth.– Layers of Geosphere

a. Crustb. Mantlec. Core

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Earth’s Spheres

Layers of the Geosphere• Crust - 5-10 km (ocean) 35-70 km (continental), made of

silicates, LEAST DENSE• Mantle-about 2900 km thick, very slow flowing, solid rock,

made of silicate minerals that are denser than the crust.• Core- Outer : liquid layer 3500 km thick

Inner: solid, dense core made of Fe & Ni MOST DENSE

Got Water?

• Hydrosphere- liquid water including oceans, lakes, rivers, marshes, streams, swamps, ground water, rain & water droplets in clouds. – 97% of all water on Earth is the saltwater

found in oceans. – Oceans cover 71% of Earth.

http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/hydro/hydrosphere/why_images/folsom_dam.jpg

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Earth’s Spheres

Ice, Ice Baby• Cryosphere- made up

of all the frozen water on Earth. All the ice, sea ice, glaciers, ice shelves, icebergs, & permafrost.

http://www.earth-prints.org/image/criopic.jpg

http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/earthsystems/cryosphere/images/bargraph.gif

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Earth’s Spheres

What a Gas!• Atmosphere- made of invisible gases that

surround Earth. The atmosphere is about • 78% Nitrogen• 21% Oxygen• 1% many other gases (Ar, CO2, & water vapor).

http://spaceguard.rm.iasf.cnr.it/NScience/neo/images/AtmosGraph.gif

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Earth’s Spheres

Living Together• Biosphere- made up of living

things and the areas of Earth where they are found.

http://creationwiki.org/Symbiosis

http://www.uwphoto.net/content/si/wp_large/si04-666.jpg

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Earth’s Spheres

What’s the Matter?

• All of the five spheres of Earth interact as matter & energy change & cycle through the system. (Think of the water, nitrogen & carbon cycles)

• Energy Budget- formed with movement of energy through Earth’s system.

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Earth’s Spheres

• Trace the flow of energy through Earth’s system.

Break It Down• Weathering- breakdown of rock

material by physical and chemical processes.

Types of Weathering1. Physical2. Chemical

Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~piccoli/100/Image67.jpg

Physical weathering• process by which rock is broken down into smaller

pieces by physical changes, but does NOT change composition.– Ice wedging (frost wedging)- crack growth– Exfoliation – Animals-mix soil, air & drainage– Plants-reason crack growth– Abrasion– Wind

Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

Physical Weathering• Abrasion -breaking

down & wearing away of rock material by the mechanical action of other rocks.

Water

Wind

Gravityhttp://nondot.org/sabre/pics/2001-12-16-India-Trip/2002-01-01/02%20-%20On%20the%20Road%20Again/thumbs/75%20-%20Falling%20rocks.jpg

http://schools-wikipedia.org/images/922/92219.jpg

http://www.eeo.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/field/peasebay/pebbles.jpg

Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

Chemical Weathering• breakdown of rocks by chemical

reactions which changes composition & appearance.

• Oxidation-chemicals in rock combine with oxygen in the air or in water, sometimes indicated by color change.

• Acid precipitation -occurs when strong acids fall to Earth as rain, sleet, or snow.

Unit 1 Lesson 2 Weathering

http://www.photosfan.com/images/caves-stalactites-and-stalagmites.jpghttp://www.washingtonpublishers.com/YesResorts/utah.jpg

Go with the Flow

• Erosion process by which sediment & other materials are moved from one place to another.

• Deposition process by which eroded material is dropped.

http://www.chartiersgreenway.net/hydrology.htm

Unit 1 Lesson 3 Erosion & Deposition

Run of a River• Floodplain• Oxbow • Meander • Delta• Alluvial fan• Groundwater• Shoreline• Beach

Unit 1 Lesson 3 Erosion & Deposition

Shaping the Earth• Groundwater -water located within the rocks

below Earth’s surface. Acidic groundwater can dissolve rock, forming underground caves.

• Wind (sand dunes/loess) heaviest settle first• Glacial drift -general term for all materials

carried & deposited by a glacier.• Gravity- influences the movement of water and

ice. Gravity also moves rocks and soil downslope.

Unit 1 Lesson 4 BY Wind, Ice, & Gravity

The Dirt on Soil• Soil - loose mixture of rock fragments,

organic matter, water, and air that can support the growth of vegetation.

• Soil profile - vertical section of soil that shows all the different layers.

• Soil horizon - Each layer in the soil profile that has different physical properties.

Unit 1 Lesson 5 Soil Formation

Soil Horizons• A horizon - topmost layer of soil,

often referred to as topsoil. It contains the most humus.

• B horizon -has less humus. Water carries material from the A to the B horizon, in a process called leaching.

• C horizon -lies below the B horizon and directly above the parent rock. It contains the largest rock fragments and usually no organic matter.

Unit 1 Lesson 5 Soil Formation

Thick Tops, Rocky Bottoms• What factors determine how long it takes

for soils to form?1. Parent rock type- determines soil type2. Climate3. Topography4. Plants and animals-add organic material

by breaking down remains

Unit 1 Lesson 5 Soil Formation

What are some properties of soil?

•How does the pore space of the soil on the left compare to that of the soil on the right?

Unit 1 Lesson 5 Soil Formation