General Science
Unit 4: Earth (The blue planet)
Semester: 1st
Topics:
1: Earth an inhabitable planet
2: Weather and seasons
3: Constant changes on Earth
• Rock cycle
• Earthquakes
• Volcanoes
Earth an inhabitable planet:
Solar system:
Solar system includes Sun and all other objects that orbit around it due to its gravity.
This includes:
Planets, sun and other bodies. Our universe is very big. There are millions of star every star has its
own system.
Solar system consists of or made up of sun an all amazing objects that travel around it.
Eight planets:
The sun is center of solar system these eight planets revolve around the sun.
• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune
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Earth:
Third planet in solar system. It is said to be 4.6 billion years ago. It revolve sun around 365 days.
Earth is the only planet on which life is known to exist.
Earth Science:
Earth science is the study of our planet’s physical characteristics from earthquakes to raindrops,
and floods to fossils.
It is also called as Geoscience.
Why is the earth habitable:
• It has a right distance from the sun
• It has a strong magnetic field that shields us from electromagnetic radiation coming from
the sun
• It has a right chemical materials that could support life.
• It is unique among planet in our solar system for having water in its liquid form at the
surface.
• The presence of oxygen in the atmosphere.
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• Right atmospheric conditions.
Earth subsystems:
1: Atmosphere
2: Hydrosphere
3: Geosphere
4: Biosphere
1: Atmosphere:
Atmosphere is the protective blanket of gases surrounding the earth. Atmosphere is made up of
mixture of gases.
Mostly Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide.
Nitrogen: 78%
Oxygen: 20.95%
Argon: 0.93%
Other gases: 0.04%
Layers of atmosphere:
Four layers of atmosphere
• Troposphere: Where we live
• Stratosphere: Which contains ozone layer
• Mesosphere: Is directly above stratosphere and below the thermosphere.
• Thermosphere: Where satellites orbit earth.
2: Hydrosphere:
It is the total amount of water on a planet. All the oceans, lakes, seas, are example of hydrosphere.
Covers 70% of the earth’s surface.
98% of water on earth is salt water.
Hydrological cycle or water cycle:
Water cycle that explains continuous movement of water above or below the earth’s surface.
3: Geosphere:
It is the solid state of earth. It includes structure composition minerals and process of earth.
Lithosphere:
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It is a part of geosphere that is composed of solid.
Lithosphere is the outermost part of earth.
4: Biosphere:
Biosphere is the most important sub system of earth.
The biosphere is the layer of planet earth where life exists. Biosphere is the system integrating all
living beings and their relationship including their interaction with elements of lithosphere,
geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
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Weather:
Weather refers to short term atmospheric conditions. Weather differ from place to place and from
day to day.
Example:
Heat, cloudiness, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain etc.
Weather conditions:
The various weather conditions are.
• Sunny
• Cloudy
• Rainy
• Snowy
• Windy
• Foggy
• Hail
• Thunderstorm
Sunny:
Sunny day is characterized by warm to hot temperature conditions. Sun shines bright.
Cloudy:
A cloudy day is when sky and sun is covered with clouds
As sun is covered by clouds day is comparatively darker than a sunny day.
Rainy day:
These are the days when sky is covered in dark cloud and rain pours down on earth.
Snowy day:
Snowy day is when snow falls down from cloud instead of rain water.
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It occurs in very cold regions where water freezes to snow and falls down from clouds.
Windy day:
Fast winds blow on this type of day. It may or may not be cloudy. Fast winds are strong and thus
can damage property or plants or trees.
Foggy day:
Foggy day is when clouds come down to close to the land. It seems as if a blanket of smoke is
covering the area.
Hail storm:
Hail is when rain water freezes to ice and falls down as hail depending upon cold temperature hail
stones can be of different sizes.
Thunderstorm:
Thunderstorm is when clouds produce loud thunder and lightening. It can be accompanied by rain
and winds.
Difference between weather and climate:
Weather:
Refers to short term atmospheric conditions.
Weather changes for short time
Example: Cloudy day, rainy day, wind, sunny day.
Climate:
Climate refers to the longstanding weather pattern of a specific region, which is tracked over a
long period and is an average of all weather conditions during that period of time
Instruments use to measure weather:
Thermometer: Air and sea temperature
Barometer: Atmospheric pressure
Rain gauge: Amount of rainfall
Hygrometer: Humidity
Anemometer: Wind speed
Pyrometer: Solar radiation
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Constant changes on Earth:
Rock cycle:
Rock:
Solid mineral material.
Sand around us which are made up of mineral.
Rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter.
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Where are rocks formed:
Rocks are being made all around us.
Rock formation:
Steps:
1: The Centre of earth mantle contains molten rock called magma.
2: When water gets added to molten rocks bubbles form.
3: Pressure from these bubbles is stronger than the surrounding rock.
4: This causes great pressure to built in earth’s crust.
5: Solid rocks fractures and molten rock moves towards earth’s surface in the form of volcanic
eruption.
6: As lava flows down sides of volcano it cools down. Cooling down of lava causes formation of
igneous rock. Cool down lava is called rocks.
Volcanic eruption can be explosive not safe hot lava comes from each crust towards the earth
surface.
Types of rocks:
1: Igneous rock
Igneous rocks made quickly.
Igneous rocks are formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.
The magma can be derived from partial melts of existing rocks in either a planet’s mantle or crust.
Igneous rocks are hard, strong, and heavy.
Earth crust is 95% of igneous rock.
Examples:
Granite, basalt.
2: Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rocks take millions of years to form.
Sedimentary rocks are formed from pre existing rocks or pieces of once living organisms. They
form from deposits that accumulate on the Earth’s surface.
Sedimentary rocks are formed from layers of sand due to natural disasters like earthquake etc.
Sedimentary rocks are light weighted
Examples:
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Lime stone, coal.
3: Metamorphic rock:
Metamorphic rocks also take millions of years to form.
Metamorphic rocks started out as some other type of rock, but have been substantially changed
from their original igneous, sedimentary, or earlier metamorphic form. Metamorphic rocks form
when rocks are subjected to high heat, high pressure, hot mineral rich fluids or, more commonly,
some combination of these factors.
Metamorphic rocks are strong and hard.
Examples:
The most common kinds of no foliated metamorphic rocks include marbles, quartzite, amphibolite,
hornfels, and greenstones
Rock cycle:
The rock cycle is a web of processes that outlines how each of the three major rock types igneous,
metamorphic, and sedimentary form and break down based on the different applications of heat
and pressure over time.
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Earthquake:
Tremor’s or vibrations of earth’s surface produced by internal forces.
Simply it means shaking of earth.
Seismic waves:
Seismic waves are waves of energy that travel through earth’s layers and are a result of earthquake.
Waves:
Waves are formed in interior of earth spread on surface in all direction.
Point of origin: Seismic focus
Epicenter: Central point of earthquake
It is the location of earthquake.
Strong convulse or waves at first reach to epicenter.
Major loss occur to this area.
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Lithosphere:
Outer part of earth. It is not a continuous piece that wraps around the whole earth it is made of
Giant Puzzle Pieces called TECTONIC PLATES.
Tectonic plates are constantly shifting. This non stop movement causes stress on earth’s crust.
When stress get too large it leads to cracks called FAULTS.
Waves:
Waves are formed in interior of earth spread on the surface in all direction.
Types of waves:
1: Primary waves: (P waves)
2: Secondary waves: (S Waves)
3: Surface waves:
1: Primary waves: P waves
Called compressional or push-pull waves.
Propagate parallel to direction in which is moving.
2: Secondary waves: S waves
Called shear waves.
Propagate movement perpendicular to direction in which wave is moving.
3: Surface waves:
Complex waves.
Up and down and side to side.
Slowest.
Most damage to structure and buildings.
Seismograph:
The passage of earthquake waves is recorded by it.
Intensity is measured in RICHTER SCALE.
Seismology:
Study of earthquake and seismic waves.
Seismologist:
A scientist who studies earthquakes and seismic waves.
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[There are tectonic plates under earth they are constantly moving sometimes they shake with each
other earthquake happens].
Causes of earthquake:
Major cause:
1: Surface cause
2: Volcanic cause
3: Tectonic cause
1: Surface cause:
• Great explosions
• Stress of big dames
• Railway trains
• Heavy trucks
• Some large engineering projects cause minor tremors.
2: Volcanic cause:
Volcanic eruption produce earthquake
They are caused by sudden displacement of lave within or beneath the earth crust
3: Tectonic cause:
Structural disturbances resulting in parts of lithosphere is main cause of this type of earthquake.
Great fault fractures.
Tectonic plates with each other.
Effects of earthquake:
• Loss of human beings, wild animal etc.
• Economic loss at large scale (electric poles, pipelines, houses, roads, railway tracks etc. are
destroyed.
• Ecosystem destruction due to loss of biodiversity.
• Direction of flow of river streams changes.
• It may create tsunami waves (if earthquake at bottom of sea).
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Precautions:
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Volcanoes:
Volcano is an opening (or rupture) in the surface or crust of earth which allows hot, molten rock,
ash and gases to escape from deep below the surface.
A volcano is composed of three basic elements.
1: Vent
2: Conduit
3: Reservoir
1: Vent:
Opening through which volcanic material erupts.
2: Conduit:
Passage way allowing magma to reach the surface.
3: Reservoir:
Reservoir or magma chamber deep in the crust of earth.
An eruption simply takes place when magma stored in the reservoir reaches sufficient pressure to
overcome resistance of rock that forms roof of magma chamber.
Why do volcanoes erupt:
• Magma collects in magma chamber.
• As magma is added pressure increases causing fractures.
• Magma is less dense than surrounding solid rocks so rises.
• Erupts on surface through a volcano as lava ash and gas.
Causes:
• When plates collide a volcano is formed.
• When plates spread apart a volcano is formed
• Volcanoes are formed in middle of a part.
Kinds of volcanoes:
1: Composite or strata volcanoes:
2: Shield volcanoes
3: Cinder cone volcanoes
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1: Composite or strata volcanoes
Is a cone a shaped volcano built from several layers or lava.
Formed from viscous, sticky lava that does not flow easily.
Cone shaped.
2: Shield volcanoes:
They are broad flat and can stretch hundreds of kilometers wide.
Low viscosity (more watery)
3: Cinder cones:
Irregularly shaped high vesicular (bubble shaped cavities) fragments of lava that are erupted into
air and are typically solid when they land.
Smallest single vent erupts cinders ash and rocks.
Beneficial and harmful effects of volcanic eruption:
• Attracts tourists and visitors.
• Add nutrients to the soil.
• Creation of new island
• Release of aerosols
• Acid rain
• Abandoning of land and homes.
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