Warm Up 9/13 1. What is the study of the atmosphere and the • 2. • 3. • processes that produce weather and climate? Meteorology According to the nebular hypothesis, our solar system formed from a huge rotating cloud made mostly of ________. Hydrogen and Helium The area of Earth science that examines the physical and biological changes that have occurred in Earth’s past is called ____. Historical Geology A View of Earth Chapter 1, Section 2 Earth’s Major Spheres • Earth can be thought of as consisting of four major • • • • • spheres: the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere Hydrosphere – the water portion of Earth Atmosphere – the gaseous portion of a planet; the planet’s envelope of air Geosphere – layer of Earth under both the atmosphere and the oceans Because the geosphere is not uniform, it is divided into three main parts based on differences in composition—the core, the mantle, and the crust Biosphere – all life on Earth; the parts of the solid Earth, hydrosphere, and atmosphere in which living organisms can be found Earth’s Layered Structure Concept Check • What are Earth’s four major spheres? • The hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere Plate Tectonics • There are two types of forces affecting Earth’s surface • Destructive forces such as weathering and • • erosion work to wear away high points and flatten out the surface Constructive forces such as mountain building and volcanism build up the surface by raising land and depositing new material in the form of lava The theory that finally emerged, called plate tectonics, provided geologists with a model to explain how earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur and how continents move Earth’s Major Plates Concept Check • What is the difference between destructive forces and constructive forces? • Constructive forces build up the surface material, whereas destructive forces destroy surface material Assignment • Read Chapter 1, Section 1 (pg. 2-5) • Do Section 1.1 Assessment #1-7 & Connecting Concepts (pg. 5) • Read Chapter 1, Section 2 (pg. 7-10) • Do Section 1.2 Assessment #1-9 (pg. 10)