1. Grunt Productions 2005
What makesWhat makes
Earth theEarth the
“Blue“Blue
Planet”?Planet”?A Brief By Lance Grindley
2. Grunt Productions 2005
== x 100x 100
≈≈ 70.9% of Earth’s surface70.9% of Earth’s surface
361.8x10361.8x1066 kmkm22
510.1x10510.1x1066 kmkm22
Earth’s total surfaceEarth’s total surface
area = 510x10area = 510x1066 kmkm22
(= 4(= 4ππRR22, where R =, where R =
Earth’s radius = 6371Earth’s radius = 6371
km andkm and ππ = 3.14)= 3.14)
∴∴Ocean surfaceOcean surface
areaarea
Earth is called theEarth is called the
“Blue Planet” because“Blue Planet” because
water coverswater covers >>70%70%
of Earth’s surfaceof Earth’s surface
Ocean
surface
= 361.8
x106
km2
Earth’s surface
Land
surface
= 148.3
x106
km2
106
≈ 510 x
km
2
3. Grunt Productions 2005
... and water is blue because... and water is blue because its absorptionits absorption
bands extend through the red part of thebands extend through the red part of the
visible spectrum (red light absorbs 100 timesvisible spectrum (red light absorbs 100 times
101044
101022
11
1010-2-2
1010-4-4
Absorptioncoefficient(cmAbsorptioncoefficient(cm-1-1
))
100 nm100 nm 11 μμmm 1010 μμmm
WavelengthWavelength
more than bluemore than blue
light).light).
Together with theTogether with the
five-times greaterfive-times greater
scattering of bluescattering of blue
light over red light,light over red light,
this absorptionhis absorption
spectrum of waterspectrum of water
contributes to thecontributes to the
blue color of lake,blue color of lake,
river and oceanriver and ocean
waters.waters.
http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/vibrat.html
4. Grunt Productions 2005
Water is a chemical compound, HWater is a chemical compound, H22 O,O,
that …that …
forms from the joining offorms from the joining of
one oxygen and two hydrogenone oxygen and two hydrogen
atoms, i.e.,atoms, i.e., 2H2H22 + O+ O22 2H2H22 OO
andand
survives between 0ºCsurvives between 0ºC
and 100ºC temperatures.and 100ºC temperatures.
We should therefore find waterWe should therefore find water
at all the locations having adequateat all the locations having adequate
quantities of hydrogenquantities of hydrogen and oxygenand oxygen
and 0ºC ― 100ºCand 0ºC ― 100ºC temperatures.temperatures.
HydrogenHydrogen
OxygenOxygen
5. Grunt Productions 2005
00 2020 4040 6060 8080 100100
10101212
101088
101044
11
1010-4-4
AbundancerelativetoSi=10AbundancerelativetoSi=1066
Atomic Number (Z)Atomic Number (Z)
Judging from chemistry,Judging from chemistry,
water should abound allwater should abound all
over the universe.over the universe.
HydrogenHydrogen
HeliumHelium
OxygenOxygen
CarbonCarbon
NitrogenNitrogen
SiliconSilicon
NeonNeon
MagnesiumMagnesium
IronIron
SulphurSulphur
AluminumAluminum
CalciumCalcium
NickelNickel
SodiumSodium
ArgonArgon
ChromiumChromium
PhosphorousPhosphorous
ManganeseManganese
ChlorineChlorine
PotassiumPotassium
HH
HeHe
OO
CC
NN
SiSi
NeNe
MgMg
FeFe
SS
AlAl
CaCa
NiNi
NaNa
ArAr
CrCr
PP
MnMn
ClCl
KK
74.50074.500
23.84023.840
0.82000.8200
0.37500.3750
0.09100.0910
0.08300.0830
0.05500.0550
0.05700.0570
0.10400.1040
0.03800.0380
0.00660.0066
0.00740.0074
0.00920.0092
0.00330.0033
0.00300.0030
0.00320.0032
0.00090.0009
0.00110.0011
0.00060.0006
0.00030.0003
Composition of the UniverseComposition of the Universe
6. Grunt Productions 2005
A conceptual look at the hydrological cycle
Run-off also erodes rock materials from land
and piles them as sediments on the continental margins
EvaporationEvaporation
320,000 km320,000 km33
EvaporationEvaporation
60,000 km60,000 km33
Ocean storage
1,370,000,000 km3
Precipitation
285,000 km3
Precipitation
95,000 km3
Run-off: 35,000 km3
8. Grunt Productions 2005
As this map shows, the relative youth of ocean floor is aAs this map shows, the relative youth of ocean floor is a
peculiarity of the world geological map.peculiarity of the world geological map.
00 55 6565 135135 185185 6565
9. Grunt Productions 2005
The older seaThe older sea
floor tends tofloor tends to
be fartherbe farther
from thefrom the
ridge axisridge axis
0.00.0
9.69.6
20.220.2
33.033.0
40.240.2
47.947.9
56.056.0
68.768.7
83.083.0
118.0118.0
126.5126.5
131.7131.7
141.9141.9
149.9149.9
156.6156.6
180.0180.0
Age of the sea floor (Ma BP)Age of the sea floor (Ma BP)
11. Grunt Productions 2005
The spreading seafloor records theThe spreading seafloor records the
geomagnetic polarity reversals that occurgeomagnetic polarity reversals that occur
as the basaltic seafloor forms.as the basaltic seafloor forms.
13. Grunt Productions 2005
Water is a chemical compoundWater is a chemical compound
that forms from the joining ofthat forms from the joining of
one oxygen andone oxygen and
two hydrogentwo hydrogen
atoms, i.e.,atoms, i.e.,
2H2H22 + O+ O22 2H2H22 OO
HydrogenHydrogen
OxygenOxygen
15. Grunt Productions 2005
00 2020 4040 6060 8080 100100
10101212
101088
101044
11
1010-4-4
AbundancerelativetoSi=10AbundancerelativetoSi=1066
Atomic Number (Z)Atomic Number (Z)
HydrogenHydrogen
HeliumHelium
OxygenOxygen
CarbonCarbon
NitrogenNitrogen
SiliconSilicon
NeonNeon
MagnesiumMagnesium
IronIron
SulphurSulphur
AluminumAluminum
CalciumCalcium
NickelNickel
SodiumSodium
ArgonArgon
ChromiumChromium
PhosphorousPhosphorous
ManganeseManganese
ChlorineChlorine
PotassiumPotassium
Other elementsOther elements
HH
HeHe
OO
CC
NN
SiSi
NeNe
MgMg
FeFe
SS
AlAl
CaCa
NiNi
NaNa
ArAr
CrCr
PP
MnMn
ClCl
KK
EarthEarth
29.829.8
15.615.6
13.913.9
33.333.3
1.51.5
1.81.8
2.02.0
0.20.2
1.91.9
74.50074.500
23.84023.840
0.82000.8200
0.37500.3750
0.09100.0910
0.08300.0830
0.05500.0550
0.05700.0570
0.10400.1040
0.03800.0380
0.00660.0066
0.00740.0074
0.00920.0092
0.00330.0033
0.00300.0030
0.00320.0032
0.00090.0009
0.00110.0011
0.00060.0006
0.00030.0003
UniverseUniverse
Note that chemistry is not the reasonNote that chemistry is not the reason
why water shouldwhy water should
occur all over theoccur all over the
universe.universe.
