Physical Science
Quarter 4 – Module 1:
Ancient Greeks’ Evidences of a
Spherical Earth
Physical Science – Grade 11/12
Quarter 4 – Module 1: Ancient Greeks’ Evidences of a Spherical Earth
First Edition, 2021
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Quarter 4 – Module 1:
Ancient Greeks’ Evidences of a
Spherical Earth
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use
this module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while
allowing them to manage their own learning at home. Furthermore, you are
expected to encourage and assist the learners as they do the tasks included
in the module.
For the learner:
As a learner, you must learn to become responsible of your own
learning. Take time to read, understand, and perform the different activities
in the module.
As you go through the different activities of this module be reminded of
the following:
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part
of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer Let Us Try before moving on to the other
activities.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your
answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are done.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module,
do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that
you are not alone. We hope that through this material, you will experience
meaningful learning and gain deep understanding of the relevant
competencies. You can do it!
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Let Us Learn
A wonderful day to you little scientist! In this module, you will learn the
concept of Ancient Greeks’ Evidences of a Spherical Earth.
Specifically, you are expected to:
Explain how the Greeks knew that the Earth is spherical.
Let Us Try!
Instruction: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write the chosen letter
on a separate sheet of paper
1. Which of these pieces of evidence does not support the Greek's idea of
a spherical Earth?
A. The North Star (Polaris) cannot be seen in the South Pole.
B. The sail disappears last when a ship sails away over the ocean.
C. The curvature of the Earth's surface causes the light rays to
bend.
D. The Earth's shadow cast on the surface of the Moon is round
during a lunar eclipse.
2. Which of the following describes the position of Polaris if you travel
closer to the North Pole?
A. It gradually disappears.
B. It stays closer to the horizon.
C. It doesn’t change its position in the night sky.
D. It seems to rise higher and higher in the night sky
3. Which of the following can be observed of a cruising ship sailing from
the port to the open sea?
A. It will not change its size.
B. It will become bigger and bigger.
C. It will become smaller and smaller until it disappears.
D. It will appear to sink then only the sail will be visible until it
completely disappears.
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4. Why is it that Eratosthenes’s calculation of the Earth’s circumference
solidifies ancient Greeks’ belief of a spherical Earth?
A. It is because he used vertical poles to observe the shadow cast on
two different cities.
B. It is because he assumed that the light rays from the Sun are
parallel when they reach Earth.
C. It is because he observed the shadows cast on two different cities
during the summer solstice.
D. It is because he determined the value of the distance between the
two cities from a complete circle.
5. What causes the difference in the angle of shadows cast in Syene and
Alexandria at noon during a summer solstice according to
Eratosthenes?
A. The depth of the well in Syene
B. The curvature of the Earth’s surface
C. The distance between Syene and Alexandria
D. The height of the vertical pole in Alexandria
Let Us Study
Long before Ferdinand Magellan made his circumnavigation of the
world, the ancient Greeks had figured out more than 2,300 years ago that the
Earth is round. Have you ever wondered how the ancient Greeks figured out
the shape of the Earth without using modern technology?
To answer this question, Greek philosophers had several scientific
pieces of evidence to support their idea that the world is round. These pieces
of evidence are observable events that the ancient Greeks saw thousands of
years ago even before the invention of the telescope. These are the same events
we can still see today. They used these observations to establish the idea that
the Earth is a sphere. So, what are these observable events? Well, these are
the things we will learn as we go further in this lesson.
Pythagoras (570-490 BC) first believed that circles and spheres were
the most perfect shapes and concluded that the earth and all the heavenly
bodies must be spherical. However, he didn’t provide solid pieces of evidence
since he probably based his idea on mystic and aesthetic reasons rather than
scientific means. In a quest for knowledge, other two notable ancient Greeks
came up with a few insightful observations that helped them figure out the
shape of our planet. These includes Aristotle’s observations on Earth’s round
shadow cast on the moon surface during a lunar eclipse, the varying positions
of the North Star and constellations, the gradual disappearance of sailing
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ships over the horizon, and Eratosthenes’s calculation of the Earth’s
circumference. Let’s discuss these observations further.
Earth’s Round Shadow During a Lunar Eclipse
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) reasoned that the Earth
was spherical because of the round shadow it cast on the Moon during a lunar
eclipse. A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves between the Sun and
the Moon. As the Earth’s shadow moves across the surface of the moon, it
appears to be round. This is an indication that the Earth is a sphere.
Lunar eclipse showing the round shadow of the Earth cast on the surface of the moon
Part of the moon obscured by Earth’s shadow during a total lunar eclipse as seen on Earth
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Notice the subtle curvature of the Earth’s shadow cast on the moon.
The shadow would be very different if the earth was not round. Only a
spherical object always produces a circular shadow at any orientation.
Varying Positions of the North Star and Constellations
Aristotle offered another compelling observational evidence to justify a
spherical Earth. The most important is the varying positions of the North Star
(Polaris) as one changes latitude. Polaris was believed to be at a fixed point in
the sky.
The Position of The North Star (Polaris) at a Certain Latitude
As we increase our latitude, the altitude of Polaris increases. On the
other hand, the altitude of Polaris decreases as we decrease our latitude. This
means that the farther we journey to the North Pole, the closer Polaris seems
to move closer to the middle of the sky. However, if we were to travel from the
North Pole to the equator, Polaris would seem to move closer to the horizon
or could not be seen at all further south. The picture below shows how the
position or height of Polaris in the sky changes with the latitude of the
observer.
10
The North Star (Polaris) as Seen on Different Latitudes
Also, Aristotle noticed that there were stars seen in Egypt and Cyprus
which were not seen in the northerly regions. This phenomenon can only be
explained if we were traveling and viewing the stars from a round surface.
Viewing a Constellation on a Spherical Earth
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If we travel from the North Pole to the equator, the night sky would
gradually reveal another set of stars above the horizon replacing the known
stars we had. This would further suggest that the Earth is definitely a sphere
rather than flat.
Gradual Disappearance of Sailing Ships Over the Horizon
Aristotle also noticed that as the ships sail towards the port, he could
see their tops before he saw the rest of the ships. The ships would appear
as if they were hidden and eventually emerge from the horizon. He reasoned
that this must be due to the curvature of the Earth’s surface.
Ship is hidden by the seawater as it goes over the horizon.
Source: https://steemit.com/art/@senseye/my-art-of-astronomy-
how-do-we-know-the-earth-is-round-part-5
If we are standing on the shore, the ship gets smaller as it moves far
away from us and the ship’s bottom starts to disappear as the ship goes
around the arc of our planet. We can say that ships appear to sink as they
move closer to the horizon and emerge as they move closer to the observer. If
the Earth was not round, Aristotle’s reasoning would be wrong.
Calculation of Earth’s Circumference Using Shadow
Another evidence to support the idea that the Earth is spherical was
done by Eratosthenes of Cyrene (276–194 BC) when he measured its size.
His clever and interesting method involves looking at the shadows cast by
the sun on the surface of the Earth. So, how can shadows tell us about the
size of the Earth? Let’s hear about the story of how he did it.
Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician working as the head of the
Library of Alexandria in Egypt. He knew about a deep well in Syene (now
Aswan, Egypt) where it cast no shadows on its bottom at noon during a
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summer solstice indicating that the sun was directly overhead or at 0º. The
summer solstice is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. It
marks the official start of summer and takes place between June 20 and 22
every year in the Northern Hemisphere. However, he noticed that a vertical
pole cast a shadow at noon on the summer solstice in Alexandria. He
measured the angle of the shadow to be 7.1º or 1/50th of a complete circle
(360º). Eratosthenes assumed the Sun’s distance to be very great and its
rays, therefore, are practically parallel when they reach Earth. He reasoned
that the curvature of the Earth's surface caused the difference in the angle
of incoming sunlight.
A diagram showing how Eratosthenes measured the Circumference of the Earth
Recognizing the Earth as spherical, Eratosthenes realized that the
distance between Alexandria and Syene must also be 7.1º or 1/50 of the
circumference of Earth. Thus, the circumference of Earth is 50 times the
distance between these two cities. As frequently traveled, the surveyors
measured the distance between Alexandria and Syene to be about 5000 stadia
(800 kilometers). Given these available data, Eratosthenes simply multiplied
the distance from Alexandria to Syene (5000 stadia) by 50. So, his calculation
of the Earth’s circumference is 250,000 stadia (approximately 40,000 km).
This is very close to the modern accepted value of 40,075 km. His work helped
solidify the ancient Greek’s belief in a spherical Earth.
Today, we have concrete pieces of evidence that the earth is spherical
because we have been able to measure its curvature very accurately and even
see it from space. However, it is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid
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according to modern astronomy. In fact, the Earth has a slight bulge around
the equator but its two poles are quite flatter.
Let Us Practice
Activity 1.1: LAYING DOWN THE PIECES OF EVIDENCE
Instruction: Fill in the graphic organizer below by identifying and explaining
how each of the discussed pieces of evidence support ancient Greeks’ idea of
a spherical Earth using your own words. You can write one or more sentences
to explain every piece of evidence. Please copy the template and use a separate
sheet of paper for your answers.
Evidence:_______________________ Evidence:_______________________
Explanation:____________________ Explanation:____________________
Pieces of Evidence Supporting Ancient
Greeks' Belief of a Spherical Earth
Evidence:_______________________ Evidence:_______________________
Explanation:____________________ Explanation:____________________
RUBRIC FOR ESSAY
Excellent Good Poor
5 points 3 points 1 point
Content The student showed The student showed a The student
an excellent good understanding of showed no
understanding of the the topic and the understanding of
topic and the content is quite the topic and the
content is very informative. content has no new
informative. information.
14
Explanation The student gave 3 The student gave 2 or 3 The student gave 1
or more excellent suggestions but the or 2 suggestions
suggestions with supporting arguments with support but
very good supporting are somewhat weak. the arguments are
arguments. weak or missing.
Grammar The student’s The student’s sentences The student’s
and sentences were had minor grammatical sentences had
Organization grammatically errors and the many grammatical
correct and the paragraphs are correct errors and the
paragraphs are well- but with few paragraphs had no
written and inconsistencies. There structure. There
complete. There are are also few spelling and are many spelling
also no spelling and punctuation errors. and punctuation
punctuation errors. errors.
Conclusion The student The student The student did not
summarized summarized personal summarize
personal thoughts in thoughts but made a personal thoughts
a very convincing somewhat weak in the concluding
and persuasive concluding statement. statement.
concluding
statement.
Were you able to do it? I hope you find it easy. In the next activities, you
will still use what you have learned to accomplish them. Let’s continue our
learning journey in this module.
Let Us Practice More
Activity 1.2: MODIFIED TRUE OR FALSE
Instruction: Write the word TRUE if the statement is correct and if false, write
the correct statement on the space provided.
1. There are stars in the North Pole that can be seen clearly as you travel
south of the equator.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Eratosthenes’s measurement of the Earth’s circumference solidified
ancient Greeks' belief that the Earth is a flat disc.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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3. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is behind the Moon and the Sun
then the Moon casts a round shadow on the surface of the Earth.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. When a ship sails off toward the horizon, the hull seems to sink below
the horizon first, then the mast. When a ship returns from the sea, the
sequence is reversed.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
5. Polaris is seen in the middle of the sky when you are standing at the
equator.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Let Us Remember
Ancient Greeks didn’t have the advanced technology we have today to
take a photo of the Earth from the outer space but they used their senses and
logic to figure out its shape through observations. The following statements
are known evidences they had observed and gathered to support their idea of
a spherical Earth.
1. The Earth casts a round shadow on the surface of the moon during lunar
eclipse.
2. The North Star (Polaris) and the constellations vary their positions in the
sky depending on the location of the observer.
3. Ships appear to sink as they move closer to the horizon and emerge as they
move closer to the observer.
4. Eratosthenes calculated the Earth’s circumference by recognizing its
curvature after observing a difference in the angle of shadows cast by the
sun on the two Egyptian cities of Alexandria and Syene during a summer
solstice.
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Let Us Assess
Instruction. Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write the chosen letter
on a separate sheet of paper
1. When does the Earth cast a round shadow on the surface of the Moon?
A. During solar eclipse
B. During lunar eclipse
C. During winter solstice
D. During summer solstice
2. What was not important in Eratosthenes's measurement of Earth's
circumference?
A. The enormous size of the Sun
B. The number of degrees in a circle
C. The distance from Syene to Alexandria
D. The angle of a shadow cast by a vertical pole
3. Which of these pieces of evidences does not support the Greek's idea of
a spherical Earth?
A. The North Star (Polaris) cannot be seen in the South Pole.
B. The sail disappears last when a ship sails away over the ocean.
C. The curvature of the Earth's surface causes the light rays to
bend.
D. The Earth's shadow cast on the surface of the Moon is round
during a lunar eclipse.
4. When did Eratosthenes observe a shadow cast by a vertical pole in
Alexandria?
A. At noon during the winter solstice
B. At noon during the summer solstice
C. In the morning during the winter solstice
D. In the morning during the summer solstice
5. What is the circumference of the Earth according to Eratosthenes’s
calculation?
A. 230,000 stadia
B. 240,000 stadia
C. 250,000 stadia
D. 260,000 stadia
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6. Where is Polaris located in the night sky when you are standing at the
equator?
A. It’s closer to the horizon.
B. It's 30 degrees above the ground.
C. It's in the middle of the sky or overhead.
D. It stays in its position wherever you observe it in the night sky.
7. Which of the following describes the position of Polaris if you travel
closer to the North Pole?
A. It gradually disappears.
B. It stays closer to the horizon.
C. It doesn’t change its position in the night sky.
D. It seems to rise higher and higher in the night sky
8. What is the equivalent value of Eratosthenes calculation of the Earth's
circumference in kilometers?
A. 30 000 kilometers
B. 40 000 kilometers
C. 50 000 kilometers
D. 60 000 kilometers
9. What is the shape of the Earth according to modern astronomy?
A. ellipsoid
B. rhomboid
C. oblate spheroid
D. hyperbolic paraboloid
10. Which of the following can be observed of a cruising ship sailing from
the port to the open sea?
A. It will not change its size.
B. It will become bigger and bigger.
C. It will become smaller and smaller until it disappears.
D. It will appear to sink then only the sail will be visible until it
completely disappears.
11. Who believed that spheres were the most perfect shapes and therefore
all the heavenly objects including Earth must be spherical?
A. Aristotle
B. Pythagoras
C. Anaxagoras
D. Eratosthenes
12. What is the measurement of the angle of a shadow cast by a vertical
pole in Alexandria?
A. 5.1º
B. 6.1º
C. 7.1º
D. 8.1º
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13. Why is it that Eratosthenes’s calculation of the Earth’s circumference
solidifies ancient Greeks’ belief of a spherical Earth?
A. It is because he used vertical poles to observe the shadow cast on
two different cities.
B. It is because he assumed that the light rays from the Sun are
parallel when they reach Earth.
C. It is because he observed the shadows cast on two different cities
during the summer solstice.
D. It is because he determined the value of the distance between the
two cities from a complete circle.
14. What is the distance between Syene and Alexandria?
A. 3,000 stadia
B. 4,000 stadia
C. 5,000 stadia
D. 6,000 stadia
15. What causes the difference in the angle of shadows cast in Syene and
Alexandria at noon during a summer solstice according to
Eratosthenes?
A. The depth of the well in Syene
B. The curvature of the Earth surface
C. The distance between Syene and Alexandria
D. The height of the vertical pole in Alexandria
Let Us Enhance
Instruction: Answer the following questions based on what you have learned
from the contents and activities of this module. The essay rubric in the
previous activity is still the same guide to score your answers.
1.) Are the ancient Greeks’ observations enough to conclude that the
Earth is a sphere? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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2.) Is Eratosthenes’s method of determining the circumference of the
Earth logical and reasonable? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3.) Why is Pythagoras’s belief of spherical Earth not scientific?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Let Us Reflect
The idea of ancient Greeks’ spherical Earth is a very important
contribution to science and humanity. In at least 300 words, why do you think
it’s important to know the shape of the Earth during the time of ancient
Greeks? How can these be important for us today? The essay rubric in the
previous activity is still the same guide to score your output. Write your
answers on a separate sheet of paper.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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References
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“Eratosthenes,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, accessed February 1, 2021.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eratosthenes
“June, ca. 240 B.C. Eratosthenes Measures the Earth,” American Physical
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherical_Earth
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