Intro to Physical Intro to Physical GeographyGeography

The Physical EarthThe Physical Earth• Lithosphere – made up of the Earth’s

crust and solid upper mantle.

• Hydrosphere – More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.

• Atmosphere – Around the Earth is an envelope of gases known as the atmosphere.

• Biosphere – refers to all life on Earth

LithosphereLithosphere

• The Earth’s crust forms a thick skin around the Earth.

• Broken up into tectonic plates

• The movement of these plates shapes the Earth’s surface.

Plate MovementPlate Movement

• From Pangaea to the Modern Continents

Plate Movement cont.Plate Movement cont.

• Earth 100 Million Years From Now

Tectonic Plate BoundariesTectonic Plate Boundaries

Convection and GravityConvection and Gravity

Types of Plate BoundariesTypes of Plate Boundaries

A Special Surprise!A Special Surprise!

Plate Boundary Rap

Mountain BuildingMountain Building• When two land plates (Continental Plates)

slowly push into one another, they fold upwards, creating mountain chains.

What type of plate boundary is this?

Convergent

Seafloor Spreading and Rift ValleysSeafloor Spreading and Rift Valleys

• In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the separation of plates is causing the seafloor to spread.

• As the plates move apart, magma rises up through cracks in the ocean floor, creating a mountain ridge.

Earthquakes, Tsunamis, VolcanoesEarthquakes, Tsunamis, Volcanoes

• What Is A Tsunami?

VolcanoesVolcanoes

In a place where tectonic plates diverge or where one plate dives under another, pressure in the Earth’s mantle is reduced and some of the hot, solid rock turns to liquid

This liquid (MAGMA) is looking for a weakness in the Earth’s crust to vent.

VolcanoesVolcanoes

• When the magma breaks through and reaches the earth’s surface, it is called LAVA.

• Most volcanoes are located on the border of plates

VolcanoesVolcanoes

Ring of fireRing of fire

• Ring of Fire

WeatheringWeathering

• The wearing down of rocks at the Earth’s surface by wind water ice and living things.

ErosionErosion

• The process by which rock sand and soil and broken down and carried away.

2 minutes

The same forces that erode one place can deposit particles and sediment in another.

Rivers carry sediment downstream and deposit the sediment where the river meets the ocean DELTA

Ocean waves can bring sand to a beach

Weathering breaks down rocksBroken down rocks mix with decaying plants and animals (humus), water, fungi, bacteria etc.

Different types of soil Texture Ability to hold water Ability to support vegetation

Mountains - often formed by the collision of tectonic plates, can be thousands of feet high in elevation

Plateau – a flat highland whose sides drop suddenly because of erosion

Valleys – long, low areas between mountain ranges, hills or uplands, often created by erosion

Canyon – a deep gorge or ravine between cliffs, often carved by a river

More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water

97% of this water is in the oceans Most of the remaining 3% is frozen in

the polar ice caps Less than 1% is found in the

Atmosphere, ground water, lakes or streams

Ocean currents occur at the surface and below @ the Equator the Earth’s rotation pushes

surface water toward the west – sets in motion large circular surface currents

Water heated by the sun moves toward the poles

The Gulf Stream carries warm water towards Great Britain making it warmer than it normally would be

Under the surface, cold water sinks, then slowly moves toward the Equator, pushing warmer water away

This water slowly absorbs heat

Circulation takes hundreds of years

The envelope of gases surrounding the EarthAbsorbs solar radiationModerates temperatureDistributes water

High-Latitude Climates – Polar near the poles Very cold

Mid-Latitude Climates – Temperate Warm summers Cool winters

Low-Latitude Climates - Tropical

Temperate Deciduous Forest Develop in Temperate/ mid-latitude zones Ample rainfall Moderate temperatures with cool winters Leaves change colors in fall Trees lose leaves in winter Wide range of plant and animal life

Tropical Rain Forest Develop in Tropical/ low-latitude zones Ample rainfall Warm temperatures year round Large trees form Canopy Abundant and diverse plant and animal life

Grasslands/ Savannas/ Steppes Exist where climate is drier Not enough rain to support large amount of

trees Dominated by grasses Large grazing animals – cattle, antelope,

bison

*Savannas are grasslands with some trees (Africa)

Desert Receive less than 10” of rainfall per year Tropical/ low-latitudes Vegetation that has adapted to the lack of

water (cacti) and store water in their stem

Tundra Found closer to the polar to the polar regions Permafrost – permanently frozen soil Grasses and small shrubs

Trees cannot grow