Earth's Interior Flashcards
What are the characteristics of earth’s crust,mantle,and core?
- The crust-the layer of rock that forms earth’s outer surface
- The mantle-the layer of hot,solid material between earth’s crust and core
- The core-the inner skin of the planet
How have geologists learned about earth’s inner structure?
Geologists have used two main types of evidence to learn about earth’s interior:direct evidence from rock samples and indirect evidence from seismic waves.
Asthenosphere
The soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats
Basalt
A dark,dense,igneous rock with a fine texture,found in oceanic crust.
Inner core
A dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of earth
Granite
A usually light-colored igneous rock that is found in continental crust.
Crust
The layer of rock that forms earth’s outer surface
Lithosphere
A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust
Outer core
A layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of earth
Radiation
The transfer of energy through space
Conduction
The transfer of heat within a material or between materials that are touching
Convection
The transfer of heat by movement of a fluid
Density
The amount of mass in a given space; mass per unit volume
Convection current
The movement of a fluid, caused by differences in temperature, that transfers heat from one part of the fluid to another
Mantle
The layer of hot,solid material between earth’s crust and core
Pressure
The force exerted on a surface divide by the area over which the force is exerted.
Seismic waves
Vibrations that travel through earth carrying the energy released during an earthquake.
