EARTH AND

LIFE SCIENCE
 QUARTER 1 - MODULE 1:
ORIGIN AND STRUCTURE OF THE
EARTH
(PLANET EARTH)
The module focuses on the lesson:

Lesson 1: Planet Earth

After going through this module, you are expected
to:

1. identify the characteristics of the Earth that

supports life; and
2. expound how the characteristics of the Earth
sustain the needs of a living organism.
Lesson 1: Origin and Structure of the Earth- Planet
Earth

Earth is the only planet in the solar system known to harbour

life. Our planet has a molten nickel-iron-core which gave rise
to an extensive magnetic field, which along with the
atmosphere, shields us from harmful radiation coming from the
Sun. in this module, you will understand why this planet is
called the “living planet.”
The Earth is the third planet from the sun and the only astronomical
object known to harbor life. According to radiometric dating, Earth
formed over 4.5 billion years ago.
Why is the earth unique in its ability to support life? The answer lies
partly in its position in the solar system. The earth lies approximately
150 million kilometers from the sun. This is the right distance for the
provision of a life-friendly temperature. This makes the Earth as the only
planet in the solar system where temperatures are just right for life.
Other factors such as the earth’s revolution around the sun, its rotation
on its own axis, as well as its atmospheres and oceans, all have a role in
maintaining its temperature.
The planets in the Solar System are basically
grouped into terrestrial and Jovian planets. The
“inner planets”, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
are called the terrestrial planets. They are small and
rocky planets that usually have large iron cores. The
“outer planets”, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune are called the Jovian planets. They are
large planets with no solid surface that’s why they
are also known as the “Gas Giants”.
The picture below shows the relative size and
appearance of three terrestrial planets. Note the
similarities and differences between the Earth and
the other two terrestrial planets, Venus and Mars.
From the image above, it can be noted that:

1. Venus, Earth, and Mars are part of the inner

terrestrial or "rocky" planets.
2. Venus is considered to be the Earth's twin planet.
It has a very similar size and mass with the Earth.
Mars is about half the Earth's size.
3. All the three planets have spheroidal shape.
Planet earth has also some features such as the its
escape velocity or minimum speed an object needs
to escape a planet's pull of gravity, it has also
surface pressure based on the atmospheric pressure
at a location on the surface of the planet which is
proportional to the mass of air above the location .
The Earth's magnetic field is also important and it is
believed to be the consequence of the presence of a
solid metallic inner core and a liquid metallic outer
core.
The table below provides a summary of the
difference in physical and chemical properties
between the Earth and its neighboring planets and
this will show how unique planet earth is.
Venus, Earth and Mars Comparison: Table
modified from
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/
1. Venus, Earth, and Mars have composition and
densities that are not too different from each other.
2. Majority of the gas in the atmosphere of Venus
and Mars is carbon dioxide while on Earth is
nitrogen.
3. Orbital period and velocity are related to the planet's
distance from the sun. Among the three planets, Venus
is the nearest and Mars is the farthest from the Sun.
4. Rotational speed of Earth and Mars are very similar.
Rotational speed of Venus is extremely slow.
5. Abundance of liquid water on Earth, hence the blue
color. The Earth is a habitable planet.
The planet earth possesses the “just right” factors
that make a planet habitable.
FACTORS THAT NOT ENOUGH OF JUST RIGHT TOO MUCH OF SITUATION IN
MAKE A PLANET THE FACTOR THE FACTORS THE SOLAR
HABITABLE SYSTEM

TEMPERATUR Low temperatures Life seems to be At about 125oC, Surface: only the
E cause chemicals to limited to a protein and Earth’s surface is
Influences how react slowly, temperature range carbohydrate in this temperature
quickly atoms and which interferes of -15oC to molecules, and the range. Subsurface:
molecules move with the reactions 115oC. In this genetic material the interior of the
necessary for life. range, liquid water (e.g., DNA and solid planets and
It can also cause can still exist RNA) start to moons may be in
the freezing of under certain break apart. Also, this temperature
water, making conditions. high temperatures range.
liquid water cause the quick
unavailable. evaporation of
water.
FACTORS THAT NOT ENOUGH JUST RIGHT TOO MUCH OF SITUATION IN
MAKE A OF THE FACTOR THE FACTORS THE SOLAR
PLANET SYSTEM
HABITABLE
ATMOSPHERE Small planets and Earth & Venus are Venus’s atmosphere Of the solid planets
Traps heat, shields moons have the right size to is 100 times thicker & moons, only
the surface from insufficient gravity hold a sufficient- than Earth’s. It is Earth, Venus, &
harmful radiation, to hold an sized atmosphere. made almost Titan have
and provides atmosphere. The Earth’s atmosphere entirely of significant
chemicals needed gas molecules is about 100 miles greenhouse gasses, atmospheres. Mars’
for life, such as escape to space, thick. It keeps the making the surface atmosphere is about
nitrogen and carbon leaving the planet surface warm & too hot for life. The 1/100th that of
dioxide. or moon without an protects it from four giant planets Earth’s, too small
insulating blanket radiation & small- are completely for significant
or a protective to medium-sized made of gas. insulation or
shield. meteorites. shielding.
FACTORS THAT NOT ENOUGH JUST RIGHT TOO MUCH OF SITUATION IN
MAKE A OF THE THE FACTORS THE SOLAR
PLANET FACTOR SYSTEM
HABITABLE

ENERGY When there is too With a steady Light energy is a Surface: The
Organisms use little sunlight or input of either problem if it inner planets get
light or chemical too few of the light or chemical makes a planet too much
energy to run chemicals that energy, cells can too hot or if there sunlight for life.
their life provide energy to run the chemical are too many The outer planets
processes. cells, such as iron reactions harmful rays, get too little.
or sulfur, necessary for life. such as Sub-surface:
organisms die ultraviolet. Too Most solid
many energy-rich planets & moons
chemicals is not a have energy-rich
problem chemicals.
FACTORS THAT NOT ENOUGH JUST RIGHT TOO MUCH OF SITUATION IN
MAKE A OF THE FACTOR THE FACTORS THE SOLAR
PLANET SYSTEM
HABITABLE
NUTRIENTS Without chemicals to All solid planets & Too many nutrients Surface: Earth has a
Nutrients Used to make proteins & moons have the are not a problem. water cycle, an
build and maintain carbohydrates, same general However, too active a atmosphere, and
organisms cannot circulation system, volcanoes to circulate
an organism’s body. chemical makeup,
grow. Planets without such as the constant nutrients. Venus,
systems to deliver so nutrients are volcanism on Jupiter’s Titan, Io, and Mars
nutrients to its present. Those with moon, Io, or the have nutrients and
organisms (e.g., a a water cycle or churning atmospheres ways to circulate them
water cycle or volcanic activity of the gas planets, to organisms. Sub-
volcanic activity) can transport and interferes with an surface: Any planet or
cannot support life. replenish the organism’s ability to moon with sub-
Also, when nutrients chemicals required get enough nutrients. surface water or
are spread so thin that by living molten rock can
they are hard to circulate and replenish
obtain, such as on a organisms. nutrients for
gas planet, life cannot organisms.
exist.
 FACTORS NOT ENOUGH JUST RIGHT TOO MUCH OF SITUATION IN
THAT MAKE A OF THE THE FACTORS THE SOLAR
PLANET FACTOR SYSTEM
HABITABLE

Water The chemicals a Water is regularly Too much water is Surface: Only Earth’s
surface has water, though
Dissolves & cell needs for available. Life can not a problem, as Mars once had surface
transports energy & growth go dormant long as it is not so water and still has water ice
in its polar ice caps.
chemicals within are not dissolved between wet toxic that it Saturn’s moon, Titan, seems
and to and from a or transported to periods, but, interferes with the to be covered with liquid
methane. Sub-surface: Mars
cell the cell eventually, water chemistry of life & some moons have
needs to be deposits of underground ice,
which might melt to
available. produce water. Europa, has
a vast oceans beneath its
outer shell if ice.
Earth is the only place in known universe confirmed
to host like and the only one known for sure to have
liquid water in the surface. These are reasons why
planet earth is unique one:
1. it has liquid water
2. Plate Tectonics
3. it has atmosphere that shelters it from the worst of
the sun’s rays
Earth is the only planet in the solar system that has a
large amount of liquid water. About 70% of the surface
of the Earth is covered by liquid or frozen water.
Because of this, Earth is sometime called “blue planet.”
Planet Earth is habitable because it has the right
distance from the sun. It is kept warm by an insulating
atmosphere, and it has the right chemical ingredients
for life including water and carbon. It can provide
water, oxygen, useful biological products for human,
and has suitable weather and climate.
Earth, Venus, and Mars may have similarities:
1. They are all terrestrial planets made of solid rocks
and silicate
2. They all have atmosphere
3. The almost have the same time to rotate on their axis
4. Earth and Mars both have water
5. The all have carbon dioxide
6. All have landforms.
Earth, Venus, and Mars have differences
Earth, Venus, and Mars have differences:
1. Venus has no water
2. Venus and Mars don’t have oxygen
3. Earth has life forms
6 THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE ON EARTH
POSSIBLE

Earth is well equipped as a planet and ideally placed in

our solar system and galaxy to support life as we know
it. The product of some 4.6 billion years of cosmic
construction, our planet is flush with life thanks to a
fortuitous set of conditions.
1. OUR LOCATION IS FAR FROM
MANY HAZARDS
The solar system is comfortably nestled in a safe harbor
between major spiral arms, and its nearly circular orbit
helps
it avoid the galaxy’s perilous inner regions. There are
relatively few stars near the sun, reducing risks to Earth
from gravitational tugs, gamma-­ray bursts, or collapsing
stars called supernovae.
2. OUR SUN IS A STABLE AND LONG-
LASTING STAR

Stars more massive than the sun burn hotter and

usually
don’t live long enough for planets to develop life. Less
massive, younger stars are often unstable and are prone
to
blasting their planets with bursts of radiation.
3. WE’RE AT JUST THE RIGHT
DISTANCE FROM THE SUN

Earth orbits in the so-called Goldilocks zone, where the

planet
receives enough energy to allow water to exist as a liquid
on its surface. Too far, and the vital compound stays
locked
up as ice. Too close, and the water would rapidly
evaporate into the atmosphere.
4. WE HAVE THE RIGHT STUFF TO
HOST A DYNAMIC CORE

The interstellar cloud of gas and dust that gave rise to

Earth contained enough radioactive elements to power
a
churning core for billions of years. This creates a
magnetic
field that protects the planet from
dangers like solar flares.
5. WE HAVE A BIG MOON TO
STABILIZE OUR AXIAL WOBBLE

Earth is tilted with respect to the sun, and teeters as it

spins.
This tiny wobble can shift the climate from hot to icy
every
41,000 years—and might vary more without the
moon’s stabilizing pull.
6. WE HAVE AN OZONE LAYER TO BLOCK
HARMFUL RAYS

Ancient plant like organisms in the oceans added

oxygen to the
atmosphere and created a high-altitude layer of ozone
that
shielded early land species from lethal radiation.
 HAPPY
LEARNING!