Does
Earth Have More Land or Water? (Back
to Game)
Math
Extension: Measuring Landmass in Each
Hemisphere
Did
you notice that the Northern Hemisphere has more land mass
than the Southern Hemisphere does?
The
blue shows the land mass in the
Northern Hemisphere. (Click
to enlarge.)
The
blue shows the land mass in the Southern Hemisphere.
(Click
to enlarge.)
Maps:
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Try
This!
Enlarge
the first map. Use the grid (latitude and longitude) lines
to estimate the square units of land (in blue) in the
Northern Hemisphere.
Enlarge
the second map. Use the grid (latitude and longitude lines)
to estimate the square units of land there. Note: 97% of Antarctica (covering the south
pole) is always covered in thick ice and snow. You can leave
that out when counting square units.
How
do the land masses in the hemispheres compare? What is the
ratio of land to water in each hemisphere?
Ratios:
Land and Water
Northern Hemisphere: for every 1 unit
(e.g., square mile) of land, there are . . .
1.5
units of ocean.
Southern
Hemisphere: for every 1 unit of land, there
are . . .
4
units of ocean.
The
Earth's entire surface is about 3/4 water and 1/4 land!