Plate Tectonics Flashcards
The theory that explains many of Earth’s geologic features by saying that the crust is broken into moving pieces.
Plate Tectonics
A piece of Earth’s crust that can move.
Plate
The outer layer of the Earth.
Crust
The layer below the crust.
Mantle
The deepest layer of the Earth.
Inner Core
The layer below the mantle.
Outer Core
Describe the changes in temperature within the Earth.
The temperature gets hotter and hotter with the deeper layers - so the inner core is the hottest.
Describe the changes in density within the Earth.
The density increases with the deeper layers - so the crust is the least dense, and the inner core is the most dense.
Describe the state of each layer within the Earth.
Crust = solid
Mantle = liquid
Outer Core = liquid
Inner Core = solid
Describe the composition of each layer within the Earth.
Crust = solid rock
Mantle = molten rock
Outer core = molten metal
Inner core = solid metal
How did scientists discover the layers with the Earth?
They measured the ways that earthquake waves change when they pass through the different layers.
What force is powerful enough to move the plates?
Convection currents in the mantle.
Which layer includes both the crust and the upper mantle?
Lithosphere
The lower part of the mantle is called the…
Asthenosphere
Which layer of the Earth makes up the plates?
Lithosphere
Which layer of the Earth has convection currents that move the plates?
Asthenosphere
How heavy something is.
Mass
The amount of gravity pulling on an object.
Weight
The amount of space filled by an object.
Volume
How heavy an object is, compared to its size.
Density
The mathematical formula for finding density.
Density = Mass divided by Volume ( D = M / V )
The density of an object that sinks.
Greater than 1.0
The density of an object that floats.
Less than 1.0
A. Find the density of an object that has a mass of 8 g and a volume of 2 ml.
B. Then tell whether it will sink of float.
A. 8 / 2 = 4
B. It will sink