Earth’s Interior Flashcards
1
Q
What is the structure of the Earth?
A
- inner core
- outer core
- mantle
- (asthenosphere + lithosphere)
- crust
2
Q
Describe the inner core.
A
- solid ball of iron/nickel
- v. hot due to pressure + radioactive decay
- heat responsible for Earth’s internal energy
3
Q
Describe the outer core.
A
- semi-molten
- iron/nickel
4
Q
Describe the mantle
A
- mainly solid rock (high in silicon)
- v. top layer is semi-molten magma = asthenosphere
5
Q
Describe the asthenosphere.
A
- semi-molten layer constantly moving due to convention currents
- powered by heat from core
- hot, weak, plastic
- lithosphere above
6
Q
Describe the lithosphere.
A
- broken into plates
- majority in mantle
- top = crust
- brittle, cool, rigid
7
Q
Describe the crust.
A
- thin top of lithosphere
- made of oceanic crust (dense + destroyed) + continental crust (less dense + not destroyed)
