11

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Quarter II – Week 1
How the Greeks Knew that the
Earth is Spherical

CONTEXTUALIZED LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

Physical Science – Grade 12
Contextualized Learning Activity Sheets (CLAS)
Quarter II - Week 1: How the Greeks Knew that the Earth is Spherical
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, Section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of
the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or
office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for the exploitation of such work for a
profit. Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of
royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this CLAS are owned by their respective copyright holders.
Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their
respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership
over them.

Published by the Schools Division of Puerto Princesa City

Development Team of the Contextualized Learning Activity Sheets

Writer: Vanessa Anne A. Gabay

Content Editor: Sheryll C. Saclet

Language Editor: Hazel Joyce A. Aquino

Reviewer: Rolando A. Taha, EdD
Lyndie Pearl M. Miňano
Illustrator: Vanessa Anne A. Gabay
Proofreader: Antonieta Curioso – Miguel
Layout Artist: Vanessa Anne A. Gabay

Management Team:
Servillano A. Arzaga, CESO V, SDS
Loida P. Adornado PhD. ASDS
Cyril C. Serador PhD. CID Chief
Ronald S. Brillantes, EPS-LRMS Manager
Rolando A. Taha EdD. EPS-Science
Eva Joyce C. Presto, PDO II

Division LR Evaluators:

Division of Puerto Princesa City-Learning Resource Management Section (LRMS)

Sta. Monica Heights, Brgy. Sta. Monica, Puerto Princesa City
Telephone No.: (048) 434 9438
Email Address: [email protected]
Name: Grade & Section:

Lesson 1
How the Greeks Knew that the
Earth is Spherical
MELC: Explain how the Greeks knew that the Earth is spherical (S11/12PS-IV-38)
Objectives:
1. Identify the ancient Greek philosophers involved in the development of the
sphericity of the Earth
2. Explain the different theories about the shape of the Earth
3. Describe the evidences that lead to the conclusion that Earth’s shape is a
sphere.

Let’s Explore and Discover

Unlocking of Have you gazed in our sky in a clear night and wondered
Difficulties what is up there? How do we explore the Universe? How come
that we conclude that the Earth’s shape is not flat? Man’s
• Spherical knowledge about the universe has come a long way hundreds of
shaped like a years ago.
sphere and
being round, or How ancient people thought about
more or less objects moving across the sky?
round, in three How they picture the shape of the
dimensions. Earth and the Universe? How the
Greeks knew that the Earth is
Spherical?
• The words
“ancient greek”
was a civilization
belonging to a
period of Greek
history from the
Greek Dark Ages (Source: "Earth" by Meredith Garstin,
https://search.creativecommons.org/photo
of the 12th–9th s/e7f26e5f-6b25-4df9-83fe-36d4325818da
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)
centuries BC to
the end of
antiquity ( c. AD
600)

Once upon a time, it made sense for people to believe that

the Earth was flat. Ships would sail off toward the horizon and
often never return, and those people left behind did not really have
access to information outside of their communities.
(Source: "flat-earth-society" by A Siegel, https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/966a0f56-
0825-44cb-be9e-230231649453 Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

1
 The Greeks are very much noted for their major contributions in different fields.
They were not only great philosophers. They were great scientists and mathematicians as
well. It was in Greece that the Golden Age of early astronomy was centered. Being
philosophers, the Greeks used philosophical arguments to explain the natural events
happening around them including the movements of the stars and other heavenly bodies.
But they were also observers. They made use of their observational data to explain certain
events. They were the ones who measured the sizes and the distances of the sun and the
moon using the basics of geometry and trigonometry which they also developed.
The early Greeks had a geocentric view of the earth. For them, it was the center of
the universe; hence, a motionless sphere. The sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter,
and Saturn orbited the Earth. The Greeks also believed that stars traveled daily around the
earth. However, they all stayed in a transparent, hollow sphere located beyond the planets.
They called this sphere as the celestial sphere.
The idea of a spherical Earth was floated around by Pythagoras around 500 BC and
validated by Aristotle a couple centuries later. Traveler’s tale of ships disappearing over the
horizon and the Pole start shifting to a higher position in the sky as one journeyed north
suggested a curved Earth. Pythagoras in the 6th century BC and Parmenides in the 5th
century stated that the Earth is spherical, and this view spread rapidly in the Greek world.

Around 330 BC, Aristotle provided

physical and observational arguments
supporting the idea of a spherical Earth as the
following:
✓ the sphere is a perfect solid and the
heavens are regions of perfectness
✓ the Earth’s component parts, failing
naturally towards the center, would
press into a round foam
✓ in an eclipse of the Moon, the Earth’s
shadow is always circular; a flat disc
would cast an oval shadow
✓ even short travels northward, the
Pole Star is higher in the sky
Figure 1. Evidence for Round Earth

Although it was the Greek philosopher and Mathematician Pythagoras who is credited
to be the first person to propose a spherical Earth as early as 500 B.C., it was Aristotle who
put forth scientific evidences on why this is so.

In 350 B.C., when he wrote his book titled "On the

Heavens", he proposed evidences to prove that the
earth is spherical. Some of which are thefollowing:
During a lunar eclipse, the shadow of the Earth
can be seen on the moon. And since the shadow is
always round regardless on where the Earth is in its
rotation, this proves that the Earth is round.
The stars are in different positions depending on where
you are on Earth. Aristotle stated that this proves that
the Earth is not only circular in shape,
but it's also a sphere, otherwise a slight change of Figure 2. Solar Eclipse
where you are will not be so quickly apparent. (Source: "Solar Eclipse" by Mark Gregory ,
https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/be69a6ee-
1c8d-4722-be87-87e180ecdb7a 007 Creative Commons
Attribution 2.0)

2
Our understanding about the different heavenly bodies can be credited to the important
findings of the following Greek astronomer.

Anaxagoras - Anaxagoras was able to explain what causes the phases of the moon.
According to him, the moon shone only by reflected sunlight. Since it is a sphere, only half
of it is lluminated at a time. This illuminated part that is visible from the earth changes
periodically.

Eudoxus - Eudoxus proposed a system of fixed spheres. He believed that the Sun, the moon,
the five known planets and the stars were attached to these spheres which carried the
heavenly bodies while they revolved around the stationary Earth.

Aristotle - Aristotle was a student of Plato. For him, the earth is spherical in shape since
it always casts a curved shadow when it eclipses the moon. He also believed that the earth
was the center of the universe. The planets and stars were concentric, crystalline spheres
centered on the earth.

Aristarchus - Aristarchus is the very first Greek to profess the heliocentric view. The word
helios means sun; centric means centered. This heliocentric view considered the sun as the
center of the universe. He learned that the sun was many times farther than the moon and
that it was much larger than the earth. He also made an attempt to calculate the distance of
the sun and the moon by using geometric principles. He based his calculations on his
estimated diameters of the earth and moon, and expressed distance in terms of diameter.
However, the measurements he got were very small and there were a lot of observational
errors.

Eratosthenes - The first successful attempt to determine the size of the earth was made by
him. He did this by applying geometric principles. He observed the angles of the noondaysun
in two Egyptian cities that were almost opposite each other- Syene (now Aswan) in thesouth
and Alexandria in the north. He assumed they were in the same longitude.

Hipparchus - Hipparchus is considered as the greatest of the early Greek astronomers. He

observed and compared the brightness of 850 stars and arranged them into order of
brightness or magnitude. He developed a method for predicting the times of lunar eclipses
within a few hours. Aside from this, he also measured the length of the year within minutes of
the modern value.

Claudius Ptolemy - He believed that the earth was the center of the universe. His Ptolemic
Model claimed that the planets moved in a complicated system of circles. This geocentric model
also became known as the Ptolemic System.

3
Directions: : Unscramble the letters of each word related to ancient astronomy
using the clues that describe it. Write it on the space provided.
Jumbled Word Answer
It was believed to be in fixed
position in the sky. However, when the Greeks
traveled to places nearer the THONR
equator, like Egypt, they noticed that it is SRAT
closer to the horizon.
It refers to being round, or more or less
round, in three dimensions. PHERSE
It is rocky terrestrial planet T H A ER
They are much noted for
their contributions in different fields. They
were not only great philosophers but great KRESEG
scientists and mathematicians as well

It is a transparent, hollow sphere located LAITSELEC

beyond the planets EREHPS

Directions: Choose from the box the correct answer to each question. Write the letter that
represents your answer inside the circle.

TRUE = T
FALSE = F

1. Earth is not round, It may seem round when viewed from space,
but our planet is actually spheroid.
2. The concept of spherical Earth was just recently concluded by the
Scientist.
3. Ancient people used their knowledge to navigate the ocean.
4. Aristotle argued the shape of the moon appears to be rounded then,
the earth must also be round.
5. Eratosthenes computed the earth’s circumference.

4
 Let’s Do More

Directions: Matching Type. Directions: Match the Greek astronomers in column A

with their important findings in column B. Write the letter on the space provided
before each number.
Column A Column B
A. He was able to explain what causes the phases of
1. Hipparchus the moon. According to him, the moon shone only by
reflected sunlight.
2. Aristarchus
B. He proposed a system of fixed spheres. He believed
3. Eratosthenes that the sun, the moon, the five known planets and
the stars were attached to these spheres.
4. Anaxagoras C. He made the first successful attempt to determine
the size of the earth. He did this by applying the
5. Eudoxus geometric principle.

D. The very first Greek to profess the heliocentric view.

He learned that the sun was many times fartherthan
the moon and it was much larger than the earth.
E. He is considered as the greatest of the early Greek
astronomers. He observed the brightness of 850 stars
and arranged them into order of brightness or
magnitude

Directions: Answer the question below and write your answers on a space provided.

If you would be given a chance to live during the time of the ancient Greek
civilization, would you rather believed on the notion that the Earth is flat or would
you seek a voyage to prove that the Earth is not flat? Why?
Answer: If I would be given a chance to live during the
_

5
Activity 1
Directions: Make your own mnemonic device based on the evidences of the sphericity of
the Earth. First one is done for you.

S Ex. Shadow of the moon is spherical during eclipse

Activity 2
Directions: Directions: Arrange the concept of Spherical Earth from first to last. Use
number from 1-5.

1) Aristotle’s Important Observations: Every portion of the Earth tends toward

the center until by compression and convergence they form a sphere. Travelers
going south see southern constellations rise higher above the horizon; and the
shadow of Earth on the Moon during a lunar eclipse is round.

2) It all started as a philosophical concept developed by the Greeks around the 6th
century BC. It wasn’t until the 3rd century BC when Ancient astronomy c a m e
to the conclusion that the earth was in fact physically spherical.

3) The round Earth theory didn't get a proper explanation until Aristotle (384-322
BC) made three important observations.

4) The Greeks are very much noted for their major contributions in different fields.
They were not only great philosophers. They were great scientists and
mathematicians as well. It was in Greece that the Golden Age of early astronomy
was centered.

5) At first, there was no real explanation of how the Greeks came up with this
conclusion, other than their observation on the change of the stars when they
traveled

6
Directions: Read and analyze each question carefully. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
1. What is the shape of the Earth according to Ancient Greek?
A. Cylindrical C. Flat and square
B. Elliptical D. Spherical
2. How did the Greeks especially Aristotle use the lunar eclipse phenomenon to
explain that the Earth is not flat?
A. He noticed that the shadow casts by Earth on the moon is round.
B. He noticed that all things seem to be moving around the Earth except for Earth itself
C. He argued that lunar eclipse only happens when a round opaque object blocks
the passage of sunlight.
D. He argued that since the shape of the moon appears to be round then the
Earth must also be round.

3. Which time of the year did Eratosthenes observe the pillar in Alexandria when it
casted a shadow?
A. noon day during spring C. noon day during summer
B. noon day during lunar eclipse D. noon day during winter
4. Which of the following can be observed of a cruising ship if the Earth is a flat disc?
A. It will not change its size.
B. It will become bigger and bigger.
C. It will become smaller and smaller until it disappears.
D. It will shrink then only the sail will be visible until it completely disappears.
5. Who is the Greek philosopher who gave the most accurate size of the spherical
earth during their time?
A. Anaxagoras C. Eratosthenes
B. Claudius D. Hipparchus

6. Which of the following explains why a vertical stick casts a shadow in Alexandria
but not in Syene according to Eratosthenes?
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 B. I and II C. III and IV D. II and IV

7. Which aspect of the Solar System that ancient Greek astronomer Aristarchus
disagreed with Aristotle's belief?
A. The Earth is flat
B. The stars do not change
C. The sun revolves around the Earth
D. The motion of the planets influence of lives.

7
8. How the Greek knew that the Earth’s is Spherical?
A. Because of the shape of the earth shadow during lunar eclipses is round
B. Because of the ancient investigation that whatever round is always round
C. Because Modern philosopher said so coming from their personal point of view
D. Because during a solar eclipse, the shadow of the Earth can be seen on the
moon.

9. Which of the following objects would most likely casts a shadow on the moon
during lunar eclipse when it is observe here on Earth without the aid of a
telescope?
A. Earth Sun C. North star
B. Moon D. Sun

10. Which object best represents a true scale model of the shape of the Earth?
A. Egg C. Pear
B. Football D. Ping-Pong