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PHYSICAL SCIENCE

I. UNIT NO. & TITLE: Unit II: Physics Matters

II. LESSON NO. & TITLE: Lesson 11: The Early Universe
III. WEEK NUMBER: Week 11
IV. MODULE NUMBER: Module 11
V. OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, students must be able to:
 Explain how the Greeks knew that the Earth is spherical
VI. REFERENCES : Teaching Guide for Senior High School ( Physical Science) Published by the Commission on
Higher Education, 2016
https://www.grade-11-physical-science/lesson-
63-how-the-greeks-knew-that-the-earth-is-
spherical/2033007150048833/

VII. ACTIVITY: Finding Out Ideas

Write your own opinion about the question below

 What do you think is the true shape of earth?

How do you say so?

Write your answers in the box.

VIII. DISCUSSION:

Learn about it!

Have you ever wondered what the early philosophers thought

about the shape of the Earth?

Around 500 B.C., most Greeks believed that the Earth was round, not flat. It was Pythagoras and his pupils who were first to propose a
spherical Earth.
In 500 to 430 B.C., Anaxagoras further supported Pythagoras' proposal through his observations of the shadows that the Earth cast on
the Moon during a lunar eclipse. He observed that during a lunar eclipse, the Earth's shadow was reflected on the Moon's surface. The
shadow reflected was circular.

Around 340 B.C., Aristotle listed several arguments for a spherical Earth which included the positions of the North star, the shape of the
Moon and the Sun, and the disappearance of the ships when they sail over the horizon.

 North Star

The North Star was believed to be at a fixed position in the sky. However, when the Greeks traveled to places nearer the equator, like
Egypt, they noticed that the North Star is closer to the horizon.

 The Shape of the Sun and the Moon

Aristotle argued that if the Moon and the Sun were both spherical, then perhaps, the Earth was also spherical.

 Disappearing Ships

If the Earth was flat, then a ship traveling away from an observer should become smaller and smaller until it disappeared. However, the
Greeks observed that the ship became smaller and then its hull disappeared first before the sail as if it was being enveloped by the
water until it completely disappeared.

 The Size of the Spherical Earth

Ancient scholars tried to provide proof of a spherical Earth and its circumference through calculations. It was Eratosthenes who gave
the most accurate size during their time. While he was working at the Library of Alexandria in Northern Egypt, he received
correspondence from Syene in Southern Egypt which stated that a vertical object did not cast any shadow at noontime during the
summer solstice. But this was not the case in Alexandria where, at noon time during the summer solstice, a vertical object still casts a
shadow. These observations could only mean that the Sun, during this time in Alexandria, was not directly overhead.

Eratosthenes then determined the angle the Sun made with the vertical direction by measuring the shadow that a vertical stick cast. He
found out that in Alexandria, the Sun makes an angle of 7.2° from the vertical while 0° in Syene. To explain the difference, he
hypothesized that the light rays coming from the sun are parallel, and the Earth is curved.

From his measurements, he computed the circumference of the Earth to be approximately 250 000 stadia (a stadium is a unit of
measurement used to describe the size of a typical stadium at the time), about 40 000 kilometers.

IX. PRACTICE/APPLICATION/SYNTHESIS: (See worksheet #11)

X. ASSESSMENT: (See worksheet #11)
XI. REFLECTION: (See worksheet #11)
 Achieve Great Things, Initiate Changes, Transform from Better to best, Excel and Remain
Humble
Olinsterg Bldg., Maharlika Highway, Poblacion III, Tiaong, Quezon, Philippines
Telefax Number: (042)-545-6547 / Cell No. 0922-8934738

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
WORK SHEET NO. 11
Name: ______________________________ Grade & Section:___________________
I. PRACTICE/APPLICATION/SYNTHESIS:

Try it!
Prepare a flashlight and two ping pong balls. In a dark room, align the flashlight and the balls horizontally.
Illuminate one ball with the flashlight and observe the shadow it casts on the ball behind it.
What is the shape of the shadow? How is the result of the experiment related to Aristotle's arguments about the
shape of the Earth?

II. ASSESSMENT:

Test Instructions: Encircle the letter of the best answer

1. Which of the following is the shape of the Earth according to ancient Greeks?
a. cylinder c. flat disc
b. octagon d. sphere
2. What is the shape of the Earth as described by modern astronomy?
A. ellipsoid C. oblate spheroid
B. hyperboloid D. oblate paraboloid
3. Which of the following ancient Greek philosophers computed for the circumference of
the Earth?
A. Anaxagoras B. Pythagoras
 C. Eratosthenes D. Aristotle
4. According to Erastothenes’ computations what is the circumference of the Earth?
A. 250 000 stadia C. 7.2 stadia
B. 500 stadia D. 40 000 stadia
5. In which of the following is 250 000 stadia equal to?
A. 40 000 kilometers C. 40 000 miles
B. 40 000 meters D. 40 000 inches
6. In which of the following events can the circular shadow of the Earth be observed most
notably?
A. solar eclipse C. summer solstice
B. lunar eclipse D. winter solstice
7. Which of the following describes the position of the North Star if you go farther away
from the equator?
A. closer to the horizon C. The North Star is fixed wherever you are on the Earth.
B. farther away from the horizon D. It disappears completely.
8. Which of the following can be observed of a cruising ship if the Earth is a flat disc?
A. It will shrink then only the sail will be visible until it completely disappears.
B. It will become bigger and bigger.
C. It will not change its size.
D. It will become smaller and smaller until it disappears.
9. During which time did Eratosthenes observe the shadows cast by a vertical stick?
A. noon time in summer solstice C. during a lunar eclipse
B. noon time in winter solstice D. during a solar eclipse
10. According to Eratosthenes, which of the following explain why a vertical stick casts a shadow in Alexandria but
not in Syene?
I. The Sun is directly overhead in Syene while in Alexandria, it is only almost directly overhead.
II. The light rays coming from the sun are parallel, and the Earth is curved.
III. The light rays coming from the sun are curved, and the Earth is flat.
IV. The Sun is directly overhead in Alexandria while in Syene, it is only almost directly overhead.
A. I only C. III and IV
B. I and II D. II and IV

III. REFLECTION:

List down the activities that you did for this week and identify among those activities where you can apply
the lesson/s that you have learned from this module. Write your answer below with minimum of at least five
sentences.

IV. FEEDBACK: (Teacher’s comments or reactions after submission and checking.)

Prepared by: Checked By:

VI-JAY D. SALCEDO,LPT JOAN B. DIMACULANGAN,LPT
Subject Teacher Academic Coordinator
Noted By:
LAARNI L. TOLENTINO,LPT
School Principal