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UNIT 1-OUR WORLD

CHA PTE R ONE

Earth -~s a P,lanet

Sylla bus philoso pher Pythagoras said the same thing.

Today, we have convin cing eviden ce to prove
Earth as a Planet : Shape of the earth. Earth that the earth is spheric al in shape.
as the home of human kind and the conditions
that exist. Proof that the Earth is Spher ical
in shape
(i) The Bedfo rd Level Exper iment : An
In the earlier days, it was believed that the experim ent was carried out in the Bedfor d Level
earth was the centre of the univer se and all the canal area in Englan d. Three poles of equal
heaven ly bodies of the univer se were moving length were fixed at interva ls of 5 km. It was
around it. However, today it is an accept ed fact ensure d that the poles had the same height
that the earth is one of the eight planet s that above the water in the canal. When the poles
move around the sun. were viewed from one end of the canal, the
It is the only planet which suppor ts life. middle pole looked slightly higher . It could not
From space, the earth looks blue becaus e have happen ed if the earth had a flat surfac e
70 per cent of its total area is covered by water. (Fig. 1. 1). A similar experi ment was repeat ed
Hence , it is also called the w atery planet. The at different places with the same result. This
family of the sun is called the Solar System . The experim ent demon strated that the surfac e of
membe rs of the solar system are at a certain the earth was curved .
distanc e from the sun. The chief members of the
solar system are the planet s , the satellit es th at
revolve around th e planet s and other celestial
bodies called asteroids, comets and meteorites.
The planets in order of th eir distanc e from the
sun are: Mercu ry, Venus , Earth , Mars , J u piter,
Saturn , Uranus and Neptune.
Flat Earth
THE SHAPE OF THE EARTH
The earth is not a p erfect sph ere. It bu lges
slightly at the centre and is flattene d at the poles.
In the olden days, the earth was consid ered to be
◄ ------- ---- --
a flat disc with steep ed ges. Aryabhatta, th e 5th
centur y Indian astron omer and mathem atician ,
/
I
believed in t h e rou n d shape of th e earth. He
said tha t the earth was spherical in sh ape and Spherical Earth

rotated on its axis. In the 6th cen tury, Greek Fig. 1.1. Bedford level expt'ri ment

EARTH AS A PLANET
7
 '') Sightin g of a ship: While standin g at
(11 · hi we first
seashore, watching an approaching s P,
see only its mast. Then, as it comes _closer, we
can see the deck in the middle, then i~s funn~l,
and finally the hull comes into full VIew. Th~s
can happen only when the earth's surface . is
curved (Fig.1.2). If the earth were flat, the entire
ship would have been visible at once.
◄ - - --- - --- ---- - -- - - --- -- -

Fig. 1.4. A satellite picture of the Earth

The conclusive evidence for the proof th

earth's spheric al shape is obtaine d from th:
Flat Earth photogr aphs taken from space.
(v) Lunar Eclipse : ~he shado~ of earth on the
surface of the moon 1s clearly visible from earth
during lunar eclipse. It appears as an arc of
circle. Since the earth is bigger than the moo a
it is rarely oriented in the same position as t;,
moon but the shadow is always circu lar. e

Spherical Earth

Fig. 1.2. Sighting of a ship xi

I \
/ y \
(iii) Pole Star: The Pole star can be seen at I \
\
I
an angle of 90° at the North Pole. It lies in line I \
\
I
with the axis of the earth, and its angle decreases I
I \
\
towards the Equator. At the Equator, the angle I \
\
I
is 0°. This can happen only in an arc of a circle. I \
; B . '
(Fig. 1.3). If the earth were flat, the Pole Star 1 Horizo '
D
would have the same height for all latitudes.
Horizoo. _,. _,.
Light from Pole Star -- ---
Light from Pole Star goo NP
Fig. 1.S(a). Spherical Earth: The higher the altitude
the wider the circular horizon. The circular horizon A's
67.soN widens to CD as you move up from Y to X.

,;,~.r---" "."'''----- ,
~ ---,-....,.:..,J
\. .·· ~ -~
....~~
-~-
.~-·
{)_)~-·

Fig. 1.3 . Position of the Pole Star.

(iv) Satelli te Pictur es : J ean Baptis te B

D_elambre (1 749-1822), the French astrono mer,

discovered the flattening of the earth at the poles.
In the 20th century , when satellite pictures of
e ~ were fed into comput ers, its sphe1ical shape
with the flattened poles was confirmed (Fig. ] .4) Fig. l. S(b). f-l a t !!:art h : Irres pective of the altitude,
the vis ible horizo n is the same.

8 TOTAL GEOGRAPHY - 9
 "' I /
--8
/ ~
-

Spherical Earth
Flat Earth
Fig. 1.6. Sunrise and Sunset occurs at different times at different places

(vi) Circular Horizon: The view of the earth's

THE EARTH AS A PLANET
surface as seen from a height is circular. With
increase in altitude the circular horizon also Earth, as a planet, is a spherical object in space
that moves around the Sun (a star) and receives
widens. Had the earth's surface been flat the
light from it. The planets do not have light of
horizon would have been the same irrespect ive
of altitude. their own. They move around their stars in fixed
paths called orbits.
In modern days, all radio waves that travel
over the earth's surface, can be heard only Earth an Oblate Spheroi d
within a certain horizon. Beyond this, the signal The earth is said to be spherical ; but it is not
is not received. This is because of the spherical a perfect sphere. Its diameter varies at the
shape of the earth. Equator and at the Poles. It diameter at the
(vii) Sunrise and Sunset: The sun rises from Equator is 12,756 km while its Polar diameter
the east and sets in the west. Sunrise and is 12,714 km. This difference in diameter is due
sunset occurs at different times at different to the centrifugal force of earth's rotation at a
places. This is because the earth rotates from great speed which forms a bulge at the Equator
west to east and therefore , people in the east and a compress ion at the Poles. Thus, the earth
can see the sun earlier than those in the west. is said to be an Oblate Spheroid . The shape
Had the earth been flat , the sunrise and sunset of the earth is also described as Geoid, which
would have occurred at the same time all over means earth shaped.
the world. (Fig. 1.6)
(viii) Circum navigatio11: Magella n 's ship
Victoria complete d a round-th e-world voyage in
1522. His ship returned to the same place from
where it had started (Spain). It proved beyond
doubt that the earth's surface is round (Fig. 1. 7) .
(ix) The Earth as a Heavenl y Body: The earth
belongs to the Solar system. All planets in this
system are spherica l in shape. It is because of
their continuo us rotation. So the earth being
the member of the Solar system cannot be an
exception . Fig. 1. 7. Circumna vigation- the route
taken by Magella n .

EARTH AS A PLANET 9
 Greenh ou se effect on th e surface of V
EARTH AS THE HOME OF HUMANKIND Thus, the te ~ pe rature o n i ts su~~lts.
Our Earth is the only planet that suppo:ts rem ains very high . The earth 's atmos ace
life. Unlike other planets, it is covered with contains a very smaJI quantity of Phere
carb
green vegetation , enormou s blue-green oceans dioxid e. on
con taining over a million islands, a large
nu mber of strea ms a n d rivers , hug_e la~d Atmosphere
masses called continents with mountains, ice • Atmosph ere is the layer of air arou d
caps and deserts . Some form of life th rives earth. It is a mixtu re of gases like ni~r lhe
virtually in eve ry part of the earth - from the (78%), oxygen (21 %), carbon d ioxide, he~gen
coldest part of the Poles to the warm est pru·t and argon (less than 1%). Un,
of the Equa tor . Earth has certain features that • The atmosph ere receives heat from th
make it habitable and thus, a unique planet. by solar radiation and loses heat by e e sun
Some of these feature are given below. radiation. In this way a balance is main~h•s
• The earth's atmosphere is made up f ~d.
Distance from the Sun .
supporting gases l'k . o life
1 e rutrogen, oxyge
• The earth is at an optimum distance from carbon dioxide. Other gases include Hnl~d
the sun. Hence, it is neither too hot nor too and Argon. e iurn
cold. • Ozone present in the earth's atmosph
• The distance between the earth and the sun absorbs the harmful ultraviolet rays of ~~e
makes life possible on the earth. If it was sun. e
closer to the sun, any life present would get
• The atmosphere also prevents loss of h
burnt from too much heat of the sun. If it eat
was farther from the sun life would freeze from the earth's surface and h elps to k
the earth warm. eep
because of lack of heat.

Temperature Water

• The earth is the third planet from the sun. • Earth is a watery planet with 70 per cent 0 f
It has an average temperature of l 7°C which the earth's surface being covered by water.
is suitable for life to exist. • Distribution of water is responsible c
. th 1· or
• If the average temperature on the earth's modcrating e c rmate and surface condition
surface changes by only a few degrees, many of the earth.
species would perish due to
extreme heat or cold.

•
• The other two terrestrial
planets, Mercury and Venus
Condensation
are very hot with maximum
temperatures of more than
400 °C. The remaining
planets in the Solar system
are very cold with surface

rrr
Evaporation from
temperature below 0°C.
• Venus is the second planet
from t he sun b ut it is
hotter than Mercury. This ) ) )
is because the atmosphere
around Venus is mainly Ocean
composed of carbon dioxide.
The carbon dioxide produces Fig. 1.8. Watercycle - the movement of water between the Atmosphere
Hydrosphere and Lithosphere '

10 TOTAL GEOGRAPHY - 9
• The self-regulating and self-sustaining
structural and functional unit of the
biosphere is called the Ecosystem. This
Lithosphere
system depends upon the sun for its energy.
A pond, a lake, desert, grassland, meadow,
forests are common examples of ecosystems.
• There is an exchange of materials and
energy within the ecosystem as well as
between adjoining ecosystems. They are all
interconnected and hence, interrelated. The
vast network of all interconnected ecosystems
constitute the biosphere. Thus, biosphere is Atmosphere Hydrosphere
that part of the earth's terrestrial system -
including air, land and water - in which life
develops and where life processes in tum get
transformed. It is the life zone of the earth.
• Water from seas, rivers and lakes evaporates Fig. 1.9. (a} Biosphere
into the atmosphere where it condenses
and falls back as precipitation. Most of the plant life. Soil also provides various nutrients
water on land flows back to the oceans. necessary for the growth of plants, which in
Thus, water moves in a continuous cycle tum support all forms of animal life directly or
- the hydrological cycle , as shown in indirectly.
Fig. 1.8. There is a proper balance between
Biosphere
evaporation, condensation and precipitation
without which life would not be possible. • Biosphere is the narrow realm of contact
and interaction between the atmosphere,
• Water can absorb enormous amount of
lithosphere and hydrosphere.
heat without causing much change in its
temperature. During the day, waterbodies • Biosphere provides all the necessities for all
rapidly absorb enormous amount of heat: the species living on earth, i.e., light, heat .
thus, the earth remains fairly cool. At night water, food and habitats.
the waterbodies release vast
amounts of heat that they
Atmosphere
absorbed during the day,
which along with other Birds in the air
atmospheric effects , keep
most of the surface from
freezing at night. But for the
tremendous amount of water
on the earth , far greater
day and night temperatu re
variations would exist.
•• Sea
Solid Crust (Lithosphere) '• ... creatures

Earth has a so lid crust Hydrosphere

(Litho sphere) . Du e to t h e
weathering of the rocks , the Dead plants
surface of the earth has been and animals
formed , which provides soil
layer essential for supporting Fig. 1.9. (b) Biosphere: The Life Zone

EARTH AS A PLANET 11
 \
L

Carbon dioxide
• Biosp here is a thin layer of approximately
-;r (Atmosphere)
15 km from the deepe st ocean trench to the
highe st moun tain peak. At the groun d level,
Oxygen
i
decay Oxy98~
it exten ds to a depth of just 3 m below and ~ >
in ocean water s about 200 m deep, where Respiration Photosynthesis
marin e and freshwater life is found.
• Within the biosphere, life is found chiefly in
two forms -the plant kingdom and the animal
kingdom.
(Living Organisms)
Life-Giving Cycle s
Vario us life-giving cycles opera te in natur e, 02
Fig. 1.11. Carbon Cycle
balan cing the factors neces sary for life .
Nutrition Cycle: The nutrit ion cycle repres ents Carb on Cycle : Carbo n is the basic
a relatio nship betwe en living and non-living mater ial of all life (Fig. 1. 11). All living thraw
things in our environment (Fig. 1.10). It shows conta in carbo n. Atmospheric carbo n dio ~~s
the interdependence of all living things on earth. is used by plants in the presen ce of sunth e
It opera tes throu gh the food chain and other and chlorophyll to make their own food \ t
proce sses like photo synth esis, transp iratio n, the proce ss of photo synth esis. Durin g th_Y
respiration etc. The living things are divided into proce ss CO 2 is fixed as starch by plants . Fro:
produ cers, con sume rs and decomposers. Plants the plants , carbo n moves along the food chai
are the produ cers of food throu gh a proce ss through consu mers at different levels. After th~
of photo synth esis . Energ y has its origin from death of plants and anima ls, the carbo n prese t
in their bodies is decomposed and absorbed : 8
here. Then there are categories of consu mers
food by sapro phytic bacte ria and fungi .. Whe
(herbivores and carnivores) who live on the
plant s die and get ~uried in the soil, the~
produ cers. At the top of all is man who can
under go slow degradation and compaction. This
modify his own enviro nmen t and create chang es
results in the formation of fossil fuels containing
at the bottom or in the middl e level of the food huge amou nts of carbon.
chain . All living beings under go decom positi on
Durin g respir ation, plant s, anima ls and
by the action of sapro troph s or decom poser s.
huma ns, use atmos pheric oxygen and release
carbo n dioxide back into the atmos phere . The
r'
e 1l1

~- /

/
- a
heterotr =

(consumers )
~
""'
burni ng of carbo n conta ining fuels also results
in the releas e of CO2 in the atmos phere .
Thus, carbo n from CO2 taken by green plants
from the enviro nmen t throu gh photosynthesis

_t_- - R
autotrophs
(producers)
is r eturn ed to the envir onme n t throu gh
respiration, decomposition and throu gh burning
of fuels . Th is cyclic move ment of carbon
from the atmos phere to the organ isms and

'"""T' from organ isms to the atmos phere is known

\ ablot,cs
~{Jl~~ ,)~
as carbo n cycle. The carbo n cycle helps in
maint aining carbon balan ce in natu re.
Any imbalance of carbo n in the atmos phere
heats u p the earth and leads to Globa l Warming.
/ ~;~~~~~!r s)
Excessive u se of gases that produ ce undue
~
"'

heat and global warm ing has to be avoided to

saprotrophs /
(decomposers)

maint ain a healthy atmos phere .

Fig. 1.10. Nutriti on Cycle

12 TOTAL GEOGRAPHY - 9
 Nitrogen Cycle: Atmosphere is the largest energy from the food they eat. Oxygen is also
reservoir (78% approximately) of free nitrogen. used together with carbon, hydrogen and
Plants take nitrogen in the form of nitrates from
nitrogen to build new molecules in their bodies.
the soil and it moves through the food chain to
animals. Nitrogen is returned to the soil through Oxygen is released back into the atmosphere
manure, excreta and earthly remains of plants by green plants during photosynthesis and by
and animals, and micro-organisms . plants and animals as part of carbon dioxide.
Oxygen Cycle: Living things take in oxygen These cycles are nature's mechanism to
from the atmosphere . They use it to release maintain balance in the ecosystem.

Terms to Remember
Lithosphere The layer of rocks on the surface of the earth.
Satellite A body that revolves around a planet.
Circumnavigation Navigation around the globe.
Atmosphere The blanket of air surrounding the earth.
Photosyn thesis Th e process by which green plants make their own food using sunlight,
carbon dioxide and water.
Greenhouse Effect The trapping of the sun's radiation by gases present in the lower atmosphere.

I. Fill in the blanks:

1. When seen from a seashore, _ _ _ _ _ _ of a ship appears first.
2. If the earth were flat, the Pole Star would have the same _ _ _ _ _ _ for all latitudes .
3 . The Pole Star can be seen at an angle of _ _____ at the North Pole.
4. The earth rotates from _ __ _ _ _ to _ _ _ _ __
5. The shape of the earth is an _ __ __ _
6. _ __ _ _ _ is the narrow zone of contact between lith osphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
7. The earth has an average temperature of _ _ _ _ __
8 . _ _ __ _ _ is the major reservoir of carbon on the earth.
9 . _ _ _ _ _ _ is the life zone of the earth.
10. _ _ __ _ _ cycles are the nature's mechanism to maintain balance in the ecosystem.

II. Short Answer Questions

1. How can you prove that the earth is a sphere by looking at the horizon ?
2 . Briefly describe the shape of the earth .
3. What is the earth's mean temperature? State its one a dvantage.

EARTH AS A PLANET 13
 4. Why is the earth called a watery planet?
5 What is 'biosphere'? th
. for life on ear . 'Unique Plane t' .
Name the conditions necessary ak ·t a
7. Give any two features of the earth that m e I
6.

III.
Structured Questions h ashore prove a o in
1. (a) • sighting of a s hip from t e se
How does the b ut tha t the earth its round .
shape? ·ment
(b) State briefly the Bedford Level Expen f the ~ollowing:
(
c) Give a geographical reason for each o dif'• t times at different places.
(i) The sunrise and sunset occur at ieren .
(ii) The earth is not a perfect sphere.

(iii) Venus is hotter than mercury. h h rizon of the earth is circular in shao,
11 d d • am to show that t e O ' ·
(d) Draw a well labe e iagr
2. Describe
. . h h abitable planet.
the role of each of the tio11owmg
. m making eart a
(a) Atmosphere
(b) Water
(c) Temperature
(d) Distance from the Sun
3. (a)
How does each of the following prove the circular shape of the earth:
(i) Lunar Eclipse; (ii) Pole Star
(b) What is an ecosystem? Give an example.
(c)
Give a geographical reason for each of the following:
(i) Earth is a habitable planet.
(ii) From space Earth looks blue.
(iii) Water bodies reduce the day-night temperature va riations .
(ct)
Draw a ofwell
realms earth. diagram to show the cyclic circulation of water between the thr"
thelabelled

IV. Project/ Activity

Prepare a project on Natura/ Creation and Destruction. Stare the conditions essential for the
maintenance of Life on our planet. Give a description of how new species h,we evolved and of how
many species of plan ts and animals have become extinct. Look around ,·our environment. Describe
natural forces of creation a nd destruction tha I a re active a 11 1ht• 1ime. ·

□ oo

14

TOTAL GEOGRAP bl.v - ,..