Exploring Earth’s Surface Topography and Earth’s Four Spheres.

Exploring Earth’s Surface

Topography and Earth’s Four Spheres

I. Topography is the shape of the land

Flat

Sloping

Hilly or Mountainous

It may be:

A. The topography of an area is determined by the area’s:

Elevation

Relief

Landforms

The height above sea level is called

Elevation

sea level

7735 meters

The difference between highest and lowest points of an area is its

Relief

low

high

A landform is a feature of topography formed by processes that shape the Earth’s surface.

There are 3 main types of landforms.

Plains are landforms with flat or gently rolling land of low relief.

Mountains are landforms with high elevation and high relief.

A range of mountains is a group of mountains that are closely related in shape, structure, and age.

And now for something completely different…

A plateau is a landform that has high elevation and a more or less level surface (low relief).

II. The Earth’s Four Spheres

LithosphereAtmosphereHydrosphereBiosphere

Lithosphere

As you know, the lithosphere is the Earth’s solid, rocky outer layer, floating on the liquid mantle.

Atmosphere – The layer of gases surrounding our planet

The outermost sphere is made up of: nitrogen (78%)oxygen (21%)argon (.93%)carbon dioxide (.036%)

…and other trace gases.

Water vapor also plays an enormous role in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Hydrosphere

Earth’s oceans, lakes, rivers, and ice form the Hydrosphere.

Bios

pher

e

All living things make up the biosphere, which is found in each of the other spheres.

And that’s the Earth’s surface.