Below the Earth's Surface
No description yet. This curated deck is ready for daily study.
Card preview (14)
What are the 4 main layers of the Earth?
Inner Core, Outer Core, Mantle, Crust
What are the two parts of the crust?
Continental and Oceanic crust
Describe the Continental Crust
Thick (~10-70km) Rich in silicates and aluminium minerals (sial)
Describe the Oceanic Crust
Thin(~5km), more dense with composition similar to basalt Rich in magnesium and silicate minerals (sima)
Order the layers from thinnest to thickest
Crust, Inner Core, Outer Core, Mantle
Describe the Mantle
Thickest layer of the Earth. Molten rock with convection currents in the upper-mantle. High temperature and pressure.
What is the core as a whole mostly composed of?
Iron, nickel and cobalt
Describe the Outer Core
Liquid. Iron, nickel and some lighter elements. Convection currents in the outer core may be responsible for Earth’s magnetic field.
Describe the Inner Core
Solid. Mostly iron with some nickel.
What are the 3 earthquake depths?
0-70km Shallow 70-300km Intermediate 300-700km Deep
Name at least 2 ways we know about the composition of the Earth’s interior? (Bonus points for all of them)
Drilling and mining. Volcanic eruptions. Earth’s magnetic field. Measuring mass and density of the Earth. Study of meteorites. Seismic waves.
What happens to seismic waves when they travel through materials of different densities.
They refract.
Describe the refraction of seismic waves in different densities.
A seismic wave moving from a slower-velocity layer to a higher-velocity layer is refracted up. The reverse occurs when a wave passes from a higher-velocity to a slower-velocity layer.
How can the reflection of seismic waves be used?
To determine the depth of a layer in the Earth.