World Geography Chapter 2 Notes

1. World Geography Chapter 2 Notes Looking at the Earth

2. Section 1 Planet Earth

3. The Solar System • Earth is part of a solar system • Sun is at center of solar system 1. Sun is a star • 8 planets in the solar system 1. Earth is the 5th largest 2. Jupiter is the largest

4. Earth’s measurements • 93 million miles from Sun • 3rd planet from Sun

5. Water, Land , and Air • 70% water 1. Hydrosphere – oceans, lakes, rivers • Land 1. Lithosphere – Continents and ocean basins (land beneath oceans) • Air 1. Atmosphere – extends approximately 1,000 feet above Earth’s surface • Biosphere – part of Earth where life is found

6. Earth’s heights and depths • Mt. Everest – highest point ( 29,028 ft.) • Mariana Trench – lowest point (35,000 ft) • Average height above sea level – 2,800 ft.

7. Inside the Earth (composed of four layers) • Inner core – center of the Earth (4,000 miles. below the surface) • Outer core – made of iron and nickel (begins about 1800 miles below the surface) • Mantle – a thick layer of dense hot rock • Crust – a thin layer next to the surface (3 to 30 miles deep) 1. continents and ocean basins

11. Earth’s changing structure • Constantly changing due to internal and external forces

12. Internal Forces • Forces cause plates to move • Plate spread apart – forms a ridge • Plates bump together – forms a trench • Internal forces build and break down mountains • Folds – bends in layers of rock • Plates squeeze Earth’s surface until it buckles • Faults – breaks in the Earth’s surface • occurs when surface can’t be bent any further

13. Internal Forces Continued • Earthquakes and Volcanoes • Can cause as much damage under the ocean as ones on land • tsunami – giant tidal waves • Often occur where plates meet • Many occur along the edge of plates under the Pacific ocean 1. Called the Ring of Fire • Continental Drift theory – geologist believe that all the continents used to be joined together (Pangea)

18. External Forces • Weathering – process that breaks down rocks 1.Chemical – water dissolves some of the chemicals in rocks. Causes them break apart 2. Physical – water seeps into the rocks freezes expands and causes the rocks to break apart

19. External Forces Continued • Erosion – wearing away of the Earth’s surface 1. Wind – movement of dust, sand, and soil from one place to another 2. Water – runoff digs into ground and rocks forms valleys and gullies • Glaciers – destroy forest and land as they move across land

21. Section 2 Earth’s Features

22. Landforms • Natural features of the Earth’s surface • Classified by type to help people locate them

23. Continents • 7 large landmasses 1. Asia – largest 2. Australia – smallest • Some people consider Europe and Asia to be one continent (Eurasia) 1. divided by the Ural Mountains

25. Major landforms

26. Mountains • highest landform, steep slopes with a peak or summit

27. Hills • lower than mountains, more rounded

28. Plateaushigher than surrounding land, usually has one steep side (table top)

29. PlainsFlat or gently rolling lands 1. Coastal plains have lower elevations 2. Interior plains have higher elevations

30. Peninsula Piece of land surrounded by water on 3 sides (Florida)

31. Archipelago A group or chain of islands (Hawaii)

32. Valley

33. Water Saltwater • Most of the Earth’s water is salty. • Oceans 1. Pacific 2. Atlantic 3. Indian 4. Arctic • Seas – bodies of salt water smaller than oceans

34. Water Continued Freshwater • Lake – body of water surrounded by land • Stream – body of water flowing through land 1. Combine to form rivers 2. Rivers combine to form major waterways • Groundwater – freshwater that lies beneath the surface 1. main source comes from rain and melted snow • 3% of world’s water is fresh • 2% trapped in glaciers • .5% is groundwater • .5% rivers and lakes

35. Glaciers

36. Water Continued • Water cycle – regular movement of water from ocean to air to ground back to ocean 1. Begins with evaporation – changing of liquid water to gas

38. Bays and Gulfs Part of an ocean of lake partly enclosed by land (gulfs are generally larger)

39. Strait A narrow channel of water connecting 2 larger bodies of water

40. Section 3 Earth’s Resources

41. Natural resources • Elements from the Earth not made by people but used by people 1. oil, water, soil • Minerals – things from the earth that are not living or made from living things • Fossil Fuels – formed from the remains of plants and animals 1. coal, oil, gas

42. Value of resources • Use, supply, and changes over time determine how valuable certain natural resources are 1. Gold 2. Rubber trees 3. Uranium

43. Managing resources • Renewable resources – can replace themselves 1. plants and animals • Nonrenewable – can’t be replaced 1. iron and fossil fuels • Recycle – to reuse but can’t replace • Protecting 1. crop rotation 2. conservation

44. Distribution of resources • Not distributed evenly • Influences how countries relate to each other • Scarcity has lead to trade 1. Japan – imports raw material sells finished products • Imports – what a country brings in • Exports – what a country sends out