Name
Oceanography--Mr. Nelson
Major Features of the Earth's Solid Surface: Constructing a Graphic Model
The Earth's solid surface consists of a variety of features. Some are exposed above sea level, while others
are found below sea level, and for the most part, hidden from direct observation. Because more than 70
percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water, most people have never seen and are unaware of most of
the Earth's major features.
What are some of the major features? How impressive are they when compared with the total world
surface? In this activity you will construct a graphic model (a pie chart) that illustrates and compares how
much of the Earth's solid surface each major feature occupies.
The following data table identifies the major features of the Earth's solid surface and lists their
approximate surface areas as percentages of the total world surface. You will use this information to construct
a pie graph on the computer.
Type of Major Feature
FEATURES
BELOW
Approximate Percentage of
Total Solid Surface
30.0%
Abyssal Plain
Underwater volcanic
mountains and hills
2.2%
SEA
Ocean ridges (mountains)
22.8%
LEVEL
Continental shelf and slope
11.0%
FEATURES
ABOVE
SEA LEVEL
Continental rise
3.6%
Volcanic islands (mountains)
1.2%
Continental mountains
10.3%
Continental land masses
18.9%
Procedure:
1. Using the information in the data table, construct a pie chart that shows what
percentage of the Earth's solid surface each type of major feature occupies.
**Note: On your pie chart, you will have a legend. Also, please show the percent at each pie
slice (with leader lines if necessary).
2. Below is a list of oceans in order of their size. Please construct a pie chart chart which
shows the percentage of each of the five oceans by size.
**Note: On your pie chart, you will have a legend. Also, please show the percent at each pie
slice (with leader lines if necessary).
Oceans by size
#1. Pacific Ocean
155,557,000 sq km
#2. Atlantic Ocean
76,762,000 sq km
#3. Indian Ocean
68,556,000 sq km
#4. Southern Ocean
20,327,000 sq km
#5. Arctic Ocean
14,056,000 sq km
Total Ocean Area
335,258,000 sq km
Analysis Questions:
Answer the following questions. RED FONT PLEASE
Use your pie chart to fill in the information below:
Percentage size of Pacific Ocean =
Percentage size of Atlantic Ocean =
Percentage size of Indian Ocean =
Percentage size of Southern Ocean =
Percentage size of Arctic Ocean =
1. What percent of the Earth's surface is above sea level? _________
2. What percent of the Earth's surface is below sea level?__________
3. Which type of major surface feature takes up most of the Earth's total solid surface?
3a. Of the total, what percent does it represent?____________
4a. What percent of the Earth's surface that is below sea level consists of ocean floor?________
b. What percent of the Earth's surface that is below sea level consists of oceanic ridges? ______
5a. What percent of the Earth's total surface consists of mountains of any type that are
above sea level?
b. What percent of the Earth's total surface consists of mountains of any type that are
below sea level?
c. What percent of the Earth's total surface consists of non-mountainous areas that are
above or below sea level?
6a. If the level of the oceans fell during a future ice age so that all continental shelves and
slopes were exposed, by how much would the total land area above sea level increase?
b. What percent of the Earth's total solid surface would exist below sea level under such
conditions?
7. Which of the following sets of percentages most nearly represents the distribution of major features on the Earth's solid
surface?
Make the letter of the ONE correct answer (A, B, or C) RED.
A. Features above sea level: 50%
Features below sea level: 50%
B. Non-mountainous features: one-third
Mountainous features: two-thirds
C. Mountains and ridges: one-third
Continents and associated features: one-third
Ocean basins and miscellaneous features: one-third
8. What three oceans and their percentages must be combined to approximately equal the size of the Pacific Ocean?
Attach 1st Pie Chart Here
Attach 2nd Pie Chart Here