Using the power of Google Earth, GeoTours take you on flyovers of key locations discussed in the text.
StudySpace student website and ebook icons in each GeoTour connect your to the text and online review materials.
Dialogue boxes accompanying each site include text, figures, photos.
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Geotour 1: The Variety of Earth’s Surface
Nebular Supernova |
| 1a. Select Google Sky and double-click placemark Problem 1. Explore the many excellent placemarks for this spectacular feature that are provided with Google Sky.
Approximately how wide in light years (the distance light can travel in one year) is the Crab Nebula? Use information from the various placemarks to help you determine this. |
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| 1b. The Crab Nebula represents a violent supernova explosion of a once massive star, which was likely a third, fourth, or even later generation star. What elements were likely generated during this explosion (you may need to refer to your textbook)? |
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Spiral Galaxy |
| 2. Select Google Sky and double-click placemark Problem 2. This spiral galaxy is thought to be similar in size and shape to our own Milky Way galaxy.
Looking at the spiral arms from this viewpoint, in what direction is this galaxy rotating? |
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Meteorite Impacts
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| 3a. Switch back to Google Earth™. Now we’ll visit four impact sites on Earth.
Check and double-click the placemarks for Problem 3a. Use the Measuring Tool to determine the present-day diameter of Manicouagan Crater between the placemarks.
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| 3b. Check and double-click the placemarks for Problem 3b. Use the Measuring Tool to determine the present-day diameter of Upheaval Dome between the placemarks.
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| 3c. Check and double-click the placemarks for Problem 3c. Use the Measuring Tool to determine the present-day diameter of Meteor Crater between the placemarks.
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| 3d. Check and double-click the placemarks for Problem 3d. Use the Measuring Tool to determine the present-day diameter of Chesapeake Bay Crater between the placemarks.
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3e. Go to the Earth Impact Effects Program website at: http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/impacteffects/. This site provides a more sophisticated version of the calculation—it determines the consequences of an impact as a function of the size, velocity, and composition of the meteorite.
Enter the following:
Distance from Impact: 1000 km
Projectile Diameter: Manicouagan’s estimated meteorite diameter from above (in m)
Projectile Density: Trial 1-ice (comet) and Trial 2-iron (some asteroids)
Impact Velocity: 20 km/s
Impact Angle: 45 degrees
Target Type: Crystalline Rock
Which of the following statements is true?
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Transition from Continental Crust to Oceanic Crust
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| 4a. The transition from continental crust to oceanic crust produces distinctive features on the Earth’s surface. Specifically, the continental shelf is the submerged edge of a continent, the continental slope is the relatively steep seaward edge of the shelf, and the abyssal plain is the deep, broad, low-relief area of the ocean floor. This transition is visible on Google Earth™ imagery.
Check and double-click the placemarks labeled Problem 4a-i, -ii, and -iii off the east coast of the United States and identify which of the following is correct.
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| 4b. Identify the area depicted by placemark Problem 4b near Eastern Greenland. |
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Topography of the Ocean Floor
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| 5. The ocean floor is not all a featureless abyssal plain! In fact, it has features ranging from deep trenches to large mountain ranges.
Check and double-click the placemarks labeled Problem 5a-i, -ii, -iii, and -iv and identify which of the following is incorrect (you may need to refer to your textbook).
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