Earth and Life

Science

Prepared by: Sir Limuel Aquino

Learning Objectives
• Critically discuss the different theories regarding the formation of
the universe and the solar system
• Compare and contrast the distinguish features of each planet in
the solar system

• Describe the four spheres that comprise Earth's natural

environment
• Define the term system and explain why Earth is considered a
system
• Identify and differentiate the layers of Earth
In 1609, Italian scientist Galileo Galilei built his
telescope based on the work of Dutch spectacle
maker, Hans Lippershey. Because of the invention of
this telescope, Galilei became the first person to
discover the craters of the moon, the spots on the sun,
and Jupiter's four moons, among others.
A couple of years after, an English scientist named
Isaac Newton made a more advanced telescope.
Instead of just using two lenses as what Gelilei had,
another small lens and curved mirror were added to
aid the telescope collect more light from the natural
light coming from the sun
The Beginning of
the Universe
Lesson 1
The big bang theory states how the universe began
with a big explosion. According to this theory, about
10 to 20 million years ago, extremely high pressure
and temperature caused the explosion and eventually
propelled the contents of the universe that were
originally compressed in a small volume.
As time passed and as matter cooled, atoms of
different kinds began to form and were compressed
into the stars, planets, and galaxies that constitute the
universe that exists until the present time.
Scientists further studied and looked for evidences
for the big bang theory. The expansion of the
universe was the first evidence and the second was
called the cosmic microwave back-ground radiation.
This radiation was thought to be the oldest remnant
of the big bang.
Theory Explanation
Steady state universe theory New matter is quietly but continually appearing out of
nothing from the spaces in the galaxies.
Oscillating universe theory Another big bang will occur when the universe starts to
run down.
Nebular hypothesis/ Planetesimal theory As gas swirled around, eddies of gas caused the
formation of the sun and planets.
Fission theory Bursting of the sun sent out the planets and moons.

Capture theory Planets and moons, were wandering around and were
captured by the sun.
Accretion theory Small chunks of materials gradually combined and
formed Earth, then more chunks formed the moon.
Planetary collision theory Earth collied with a small planet, producing the moon.

Stellar collision theory Two stars collied and formed the planets moons.

Gas cloud theory Gas clouds were pulled by sun’s gravity, then formed
into planets and moons.
 Geocentric and
Heliocentric Model
Geocentric - means that Earth is at the center of the
universe. This model explained why the stars seem to
move around Earth, but the problem was that some
planets seem to move backward instead of the unsual
forward around the Earth. This was answered by the
work of Ptolemy, an astronomerm, in AD 150.
Schematic Illustration
of the Ptolemic
Model
Geocentric Model
of the Universe
The small circle where a planet moves is called an
epicycle. Then the epicycle in turn moves around a
bigger circle known as deferent. Ptolemic model was
the accepted model of the universe for more than a
thousand years.
 In the sixteenth century, Polish
astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus
proposed a different model of the
universe which eventually made the
sun as the center of the universe. This
was the heliocentric model, which
means "sun-centered."
Nicolaus Copernicus
 This model explained that Earth and
all other planets orbit around the sun.
Although this model worked more
simply than geocentric model, it still
did not perfectly describe the motion
of the planets.

Nicolaus Copernicus
 German astronomer Johannes Kepler
then polished the heliocentric mode
and proposed that planets move
around the sun in an elliptical motion.
It was not immediately accepted until
the works of Galilei confirmed the
heliocentric model.

Johannes Kepler
 The time when this model of the
universe was widely accepted was
called the Copernicum Revolution.

Johannes Kepler