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Introduction To Planet "Earth": Essentials of Oceanography 7 Edition

This chapter introduces the key topics of oceanography. It discusses the geography of Earth's oceans, which cover 70.8% of the planet's surface. The four principal oceans are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic. Early explorers like the Phoenicians, Greeks, Vikings, Columbus and Cook mapped unknown areas of the oceans. The scientific method was developed to systematically study the oceans. The chapter describes the formation of Earth from a nebula 4.6 billion years ago, how the oceans and atmosphere formed via outgassing, and evidence that life originated in the oceans.

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Mohammed Amjad Ali
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104 views

Introduction To Planet "Earth": Essentials of Oceanography 7 Edition

This chapter introduces the key topics of oceanography. It discusses the geography of Earth's oceans, which cover 70.8% of the planet's surface. The four principal oceans are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic. Early explorers like the Phoenicians, Greeks, Vikings, Columbus and Cook mapped unknown areas of the oceans. The scientific method was developed to systematically study the oceans. The chapter describes the formation of Earth from a nebula 4.6 billion years ago, how the oceans and atmosphere formed via outgassing, and evidence that life originated in the oceans.

Uploaded by

Mohammed Amjad Ali
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 1 Introduction to Planet Earth

Essentials of Oceanography 7th Edition

Geography of the oceans


Earths oceans: Cover 70.8% of Earths surface Are interconnected (world ocean) Have huge size and volume (as a reservoir, contain 97% of Earths water)

The four principal oceans


Pacific Atlantic Indian Arctic Plus: Southern or Antarctic Ocean
Figure 1-2

Comparing oceans to the continents

Figure 1-3

Comparing depth of the oceans to elevation on land

Figure 1-4

Early exploration of the oceans


Pacific navigators peopled many remote islands

Figure 1-6

Early exploration of the oceans


Advancements of European navigators
Phoenicians explored the Mediterranean Sea and beyond Pytheas developed method to determine latitude Eratosthenes calculated circumference of Earth Ptolemy produced map that shows known land surrounded by largely unexplored oceans

Early exploration of the oceans


The Vikings explored the North Atlantic and established many colonies
Figure 1-7

Early exploration of the oceans


During the Age of Discovery, Columbus and Magellan make journeys of exploration

Figure 1-8

Early exploration of the oceans


Voyaging for science began with English navigator and explorer Captain James Cook
Mapped many unknown islands Determined outline of the Pacific Ocean Sampled ocean properties Modified shipboard diet to eliminate scurvy Used John Harrisons chronometer to determine longitude

The scientific method

Figure 1-10

Origin of the Solar System and Earth


Cloud of gas and space dust (nebula) began to contract about 4.6 billion years ago
The Nebular Hypothesis
Figure 1-12

Origin of the Solar System and Earth


Protoplanets were created from the nebula Protoearth was initially homogenous:
Larger in size than todays Earth Had lots of volcanic activity No continents or oceans No life

Density stratification
Protoearth experiences density stratification
Density = how heavy something is for its size Density stratification causes high density material to sink while low density material rises
High density material = rock material and metals Low density material = gases

Density stratification creates a layered Earth

Figure 1-13

Origin of the oceans


As a result of density stratification, water for the oceans is outgassed from inside Earth
Figure 1-14

Origin of the atmosphere


Density stratification caused Earths early atmosphere (water vapor and carbon dioxide) to be outgassed from inside Earth The initial atmosphere was rich in hydrogen and helium Earths present atmosphere is rich in nitrogen and oxygen

Photosynthesis releases oxygen to the atmosphere

Figure 1-16

Origin of life on Earth


Stanley Millers experiment simulating conditions of an early Earth showed that life probably began in the oceans
Figure 1-15

Major events in Earths development

Figure 1F

End of Chapter 1

Essentials of Oceanography 7th Edition

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