Earth Layers Flashcards
What is the inner core made of
solid nickel and iron
Is the outer core liquid or solid
liquid
What is the layer of the earth that tectonic plates move on
Crust
How do we know all of this information
We know this because of seismic waves.
The Earth’s core is about the size of
Pluto
How do we know how hot the core is.
Seismic waves
What is the Mantle made of
Magma
What is the earth’s most dense layer
inner core
What is the thinnest layer of the earth
crust
What is the crust made of
The crust is mostly made of granite and basalt
Why does the earth have different layers
The earth has different layers because the whole earth is made up of different matters
What layer plays the most important role of the movement of tectonic plates
Mantle
What is convection
Convection is the heat that makes rocks move up and down.
What is the crust made of
the crust is made of both Continental and oceanic crust
How thick is the crust
5-50 km thick
What is newer the Continental crust or the oceanic crust
oceanic crust is newer
What is more dense the Continental crust of the oceanic crust
oceanic crust
What is the oceanic crust made of
basalt rock
Is the oceanic crust thinner or is the continental crust thinner
Oceanic. The oceanic crust is 5-10 km thick
What is the oceanic crust
the oceanic crust is a thin layer of crust at the bottom of the ocean
What is the continental crust
The Continental crust is a layer of rock that forms the continents.
What is the continental crust made of
mostly granite
What is the lithosphere
The lithosphere is a solid outer section of the earth, which includes the crust (rocky layer)
What else does the lithosphere include
It also includes the cool dense, rigid upper part of the mantle
What is the asthenosphere
The asthenosphere is a solid upper part of the mantle that is less rigid weaker like silly putty.The crust moves over it and the asthenosphere is very plasticy like. lastly in the asthenosphere theses plates move into each other.
What is the largest layer of the earth
Mantle
What is the mantle made of
the mantle is made of sliced rock
rich in magnesium and iron
How much under the crust is the mantle
the mantle is 2890 km underneath the crust
What happens in the mantle
convergent and the heat making rocks to move up and down
What is the average temperature of the mantle
3000
