Journey to the centre of the earth Flashcards
What happens as you go deeper into the earth
Temperature and pressure increases
Seismic Waves
A wave that travels through the earth from an earthquake
P Waves
A type of wave that can travel through anything
S Waves
A type of wave that can only travel through solids
Reflection
When a wave bounces off a boundary
Refraction
The bending of a wave (change in direction) as it enters a new medium, where its velocity changes but frequency remains constant
Conversion
When a p wave hits a boundary and is reflected off as a s wave (vice versa)
P Wave Shadow Zone
The area in which seismographs (instruments used to measure information about earthquakes) cannot detect p or s waves
How do we know that the earth has an outer core
Since s wave shadow zones were created, this means that there must be an outer layer made up of liquid as s waves cannot travel through liquids
How do we know that the earth has an inner core
Because p waves that were traveling through the outer core had suddenly changed direction and reflected
Lithosphere
Outer part of the earth
Asthenosphere
The layer of the earth below the lithosphere
