earth's magnetic field

The following statements are false but are perceived to be true by many people. Scientific hypotheses and theories are subject to revision on the basis of observations, improvements in technology, and continued scrutiny. Inevitably certain "truths" are reconsidered. This is how honest science works. Brief explanations follow each of the FALSE statements and web site links are provided for reinforcement and/or substantiation. For the few items in which there is controversy or clear disagreement, the scientific view is presented.

T. Ansel Toney
Professor of Earth Sciences (retired)
©1990; last revision May, 2007

The majority of the surface of deserts is covered with sand.
About 30% of the area of the sandiest desert in the world, the Arabian, is sand-covered. Desert pavement (rocky surfaces) and desert soil surfaces of particles finer than sand are much more common.
  • Cool Planet Quiz - Read question 3 and then find answer by clicking on "Answers" at bottom of page.
  • Deserts of the World
  • Introducing Deserts
    • The surface of the arctic region of earth is mostly glacial ice.
    Arctic ice is mostly frozen seawater. Glacial ice forms from snow. Over 69% of the world's fresh water is in the form of ice as glaciers or icebergs (which are chunks of glacial ice). Note: Only 3% of the world's water is fresh water.
    There are no coastal deserts because oceans provide ample moisture for abundant rain.
    Look at a climate map in an atlas and find some of the many deserts next to an ocean. Cold water offshore can create a stable atmosphere by cooling the air from below. Air cooled from below is less likely to rise and form rain clouds and the cooler the air, the less water vapor it can hold. Cold boundary currents are found near the western continental margins.
    The southernmost part of Florida has a subtropical climate.
    It is subtropical in the geographical sense but the most widely used climate classification system (Köppen) classifies Florida from Lake Okeechobee southward as Tropical Savanna. The rest of Florida's climate is "humid subtropical."
    • Earth's Climate System - See map at bottom and reference meaning of lettered label for extreme South Florida.
    The tallest mountain in the world is Everest.
    It may be the highest measured above sea level (29,035') but it is not the tallest (measured from base to top). Mauna Kea in Hawaii is considered the tallest. At 13,796' above sea level, there is another 19,680' from sea level to its base on the ocean bottom.
    Greenland is larger than South America.
    Though on some map projections it appears to be, look on a globe and you will see that South America has more than eight times the area of Greenland. The country, Russia (6,563,706 square miles) is not bigger than the continent, Africa, 11,668,545 square miles).
    Antarctica is populated only during the continent's Summer.
    Antarctica is populated during all four seasons.