Inside Earth Test Flashcards
What are the layers of the inside of the earth from inside out?
Inner core, outer core, mantle (asthenosphere and lithosphere), crust (continental and oceanic)
geologist
scientists who study the forces that make and shape planet Earth
rock
the material that forms a hard surface
geology
the study of the planet Earth
constructive forces
forces that build things
destructive forces
forces that wear away mountains and other features on the Earth’s surface
continent
great landmasses surrounded by oceans
seismic wave
the waves that occur during earthquakes
pressure
the force pushing on a surface or area
crust
layer of rock that forms Earth’s outer skin
basalt
dark, dense rock with a fine texture
granite
a light rock that has larger crystals than basalt and is not as dense
mantle
a layer of hot rock; divided into three parts; between the crust and the outer core; made of silicon, oxygen, iron, and magnesium; 870 degrees C
lithosphere
where the crust and the upper mantle meet; hot rock
asthenosphere
a soft layer of the mantle, the middle of the convection currents; this layer can flow slowly
outer core
a layer of molten metal that surrounds teh inner core; it behaves like a thick liquid; made of nickel and iron; 2,200 degrees C
inner core
a dense ball of solid metal; extreme pressure squeezes it so much that it can’t be liquid; made of iron and nickel; 5,000 degrees C
What is the hottest layer inner earth?
the inner core
What is the most dense layer of the earth?
inner core
What is the least dense layer of the earth?
continental crust
Which is the thinnest layer of the inner core?
lithosphere
Which is the thickest layer?
mantle
What is the force that is thought to move the Earth’s plates?
convection currents
Describe convection currents
a flow that transfers heat within a fluid; the heating and cooling changes the density of the liquid to make convection currents
Where are convection currents thought to occur inside the Earth?
in the asthenosphere
What are the three types of heat transfer?
1 - convection currents
2 - radiation
3- conduction
radiation
transfer of energy through empty space; the sun
conduction
direct contact of particles of matter; spoon in a pot of soup
density
a measure of how much mass there in a volume of a substance
Continental Drift
all the continents drifted apart from each other
Who was Alfred Wegener?
the scientist who came up with the theory for continental drift
pangea
all of the continents packed into one (where they started)
fossil
any trace of an ancient organism that has been preserved in rock
What are the three reasons that prove Continental Drift Theory?
1-Climate change (coal)
2-Fossils (plant and animal)
3-Landforms (mountains)
What happens during sea-floor spreading?
the sea floor spreads apart along both sids of the mid-ocean ridge; new material is added to both sides from the mantle
What evidence is there for sea floor spreading?
1 - magnetic stripes
2 - drilling samples
3 - molten material
What happens during subduction?
the ocean floor goes under the continental crust
Why does oceanic crust subduct beneath continental crust?
because it is more dense
Who was Harry Hess?
a scientist who studied the mid-ocean ridge
mid-ocean ridge
the longest chain of mountains in the world; they are in the middle of the ocean
SONAR
a device that bounces sound waves off under-water objects; used to map the Mid-Ocean Ridge
deep ocean trench
underwater canyons where the ocean floor goes under the continental crust
subduction
the process by which the ocean floor sinks beneath a deep ocean trench
magnetic reversal stripes
the pattern on the ocean floor of magnetized stripes that changed as the poles of Earth changed
pillow lava
what the magma turns into in the new oceanic crust
Why was the theory of Continental Drift rejected at first?
he had no evidence what the force that moved it was
