Earth's Layers Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the Earth’s crust?

A

outermost layer
includes rocks, mountains, soil & water
5-40km thick
870°C

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2
Q

Continental vs Oceanic crust:

A

continental - dry land (granite)
oceanic - ocean (basalt)

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3
Q

What is the mantle?

A

layer of hot rock
semi-solid
2900km thick

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4
Q

What is the lithosphere?

A

rigid
almost like crust
100km thick
floats on top of asthenosphere

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5
Q

What is the asthenosphere?

A

plastic like
material can flow slowly on it like hot tar
has both solid and liquid qualities

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6
Q

What is the core?

A

made up of inner and outer core
50,000°C
makes 1/3 of Earth’s mass
made up of iron & nickel

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7
Q

What is the outer core?

A

fluid
layer of molten material
covers inner core
2200km thick

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8
Q

What is the inner core?

A

dense solid ball of metal
due to intense pressure, iron & nickel are unable to become liquid
2500km thick

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