Planet Earth
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© Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Planet Earth © Jones & Bartlett1 Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE ORFrom DISTRIBUTION the beginning of our species, we have soughtNOT to understandFOR SALE our surroundings,OR DISTRIBUTION whether that was the soil beneath our feet or the stars in the heavens. Above, the Milky Way shimmers in silent splendor above the Dolomites in northeastern Italy. The Milky Way is a gigantic galaxy consisting of billions of stars, some stars are forming today and others dying explosively. Many of these stars have their own systems of planets, moons, and comets orbiting them. Earth is but one planet of many. Our planet© Jones orbits a& star Bartlett that is on Learning, the fringes of LLC the galaxy. Only since the beginning© Jones of & Bartlett Learning, LLC space explorationNOT in FOR the 1960s SALE have OR we seen DISTRIBUTION our planet as it really is, a tiny blue sphereNOT suspended FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION in nearly empty space. But the planet remains dynamic and ever changing; its interior is still partially molten and volcanoes sporadically erupt across its surface. Of course, Earth is not completely alone even in our Solar System. As you will see in this © Joneschapter, & weBartlett have landed Learning, on the Moon, LLC mapped the surfaces of Mercury,© Jones Venus, & and Bartlett Mars, and Learning, LLC surveyed the diverse landscapes of several asteroids, and the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, NOTand FOR Neptune. SALE Every OR object DISTRIBUTION in the solar system contains part of a recordNOT ofFOR planetary SALE origin OR and DISTRIBUTION evolution that helps us understand our own planet. Back on Earth, we have also extended our explorations to the vast unknown of the ocean floor. We have mapped its landforms and structure, gaining insight into its origin and history. We now © Jones & Bartlettknow Learning, that the rocks LLC below the ocean floor are completely© Jones different & Bartlett from Learning,those below the LLC surface of the continents. We also have peered into Earth’s depths using indirect methods. We have traced NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION 4 © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC. NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION. 9781449659011_CH01.indd 4 1/29/14 7:27 PM © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION© Scacciamosche/iStockphoto the paths of earthquake-generated seismic waves, measured the amount of heat that escapes from inside Earth, and recorded the pulse of the magnetic field. Consequently, we have discovered how Earth’s interior churns slowly and how such movements affect processes at the very surface of the © Jones & Bartlett Learning,planet. LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTIONInspired by this cosmic perspective of ourNOT planet, FOR we canSALE develop OR an DISTRIBUTION all-encompassing view of how Earth operates as a constantly changing dynamic system. In this chapter, we start to do this by comparing and contrasting other planets with Earth. We also describe the major features of continents and ocean basins and view Earth’s internal structure—all features that make Planet Earth unique in the solar system. You will see that our planet—our home—is a system of moving gas, liquid,© Jones and solids & with Bartlett numerous Learning, interconnected LLC and interdependent components.© Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION 5 © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC. NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION. 9781449659011_CH01.indd 5 1/29/14 7:27 PM 6 1 Planet Earth © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION Major ConceptsNOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION 1. A comparison of Earth with other inner planets reveals the distinguishing characteristics of our planet and shows what makes it unique. 2. Earth’s atmosphere is a thin shell of gas surrounding the planet. It is a fluid © Jones & Bartlettin constant Learning, motion. LLC Other planets have atmospheres,© Jones but Earth’s & Bartlett is unique Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALEbecause OR DISTRIBUTION it is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION 3. The hydrosphere is another feature that makes Earth unique. Water moves in a great, endless cycle from the ocean to the atmosphere, over the land surface, and back to the sea again. © Jones & Bartlett Learning,4. The LLC biosphere exists because of© water. Jones Although & Bartlett it is small Learning, compared with LLC other layers of Earth, it is a major geologic force operating at the surface. NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION5. Continents and ocean basins areNOT the largest-scale FOR SALE surface OR features DISTRIBUTION of Earth. 6. The continents have three major components: (a) ancient shields, (b) stable platforms, and (c) belts of folded mountains. Each reveals the mobility of Earth’s crust. © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC 7. The major structural© Jones features & Bartlettof the ocean Learning, floor are: (a) LLC the oceanic ridges, NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION (b) the vast abyssalNOT floor, FOR (c) SALElong, narrow, OR DISTRIBUTIONand incredibly deep trenches, (d) seamounts, and (e) continental margins. 8. Earth is a differentiated planet, with its materials segregated into layers according to density. The internal layers classified by composition are (a) crust, (b) mantle, and (c) core. The major internal layers classified by physical © Jones & Bartlett properties Learning, are (a) lithosphere, LLC (b) asthenosphere, ©(c) mesosphere,Jones & Bartlett (d) outer Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALEcore, OR and DISTRIBUTION (e) inner core. Material within each of theseNOT units FOR is in SALEmotion, OR DISTRIBUTION making Earth a changing, dynamic planet. © Jones & Bartlett Learning,Introduction LLC to Geology© Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTIONGeology is the science of Earth. It concernsNOT FOR all of Earth: SALE its origin,OR DISTRIBUTION its history, its materials, its processes, and the dynamics of how it changes. Geology is an incredibly fascinating subject. It is concerned with such diverse phenomena as volcanoes and glaciers, rivers and beaches, earthquakes and landslides, © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC and even the history of© life. Jones Geology & isBartlett a study about Learning, what happened LLC in the past and what NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION is happening now—a NOTstudy that FOR increases SALE our OR understanding DISTRIBUTION of nature and our place in it. Yet geology does much more than satisfy intellectual curiosity. We are at a point in human history when Earth scientists have a responsibility to help solve some of society’s most pressing problems. These include finding sites for safe disposal of radioactive waste and toxic chemicals, determining responsible land use for an © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC expanding population, and providing safe, plentiful water supplies. Geology is being NOT FOR SALEcalled upon OR to DISTRIBUTION guide civil engineers in planning buildings,NOT highways, FOR dams, SALE har- OR DISTRIBUTION bors, and canals. Geology helps us recognize how devastation caused by natural hazards, such as landslides, earthquakes, floods, and beach erosion, can be avoided or mitigated. Another driving force in our attempt to understand Earth is the discovery © Jones & Bartlett Learning,of natural LLC resources. All Earth materials,© Jonesincluding & water, Bartlett soils, minerals, Learning, fossil LLCfuels, and building materials, are “geologic” and are discovered, exploited, and managed NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION with the aid of geologic science. Geologists also offer key information about the entire global system, especially past climate change and likely causes and effects of future climate modification. Perhaps, in the end, more fully comprehending nature is as important