Structure Of The Earth

Question 1

What is the earths structure like

Answer 1

A cracked boiled egg

Question 2

If we were able to slice through the earth, we would see there is what

Answer 2

• a crust ‘floating’ on the top
• a hot layer of semi-solid rock below the crust called the mantle
• at the centre of the earth is the core. This is made up of 2 distinct parts; a thick liquid outer core and a solid inner core

Question 3

What is the crust broke into

Answer 3

Into enormous sections called tectonic plates. These plates cover the surface of the earth and has been given names

Question 4

To visualise the structure of the estate what do we think of and why

Answer 4

Think of an egg. If you took a spoon and tapped the shell lightly, the shell would crack into sections

Question 5

The earths crust is quite what

Answer 5

Thin, as little as 3 miles under the oceans, but it is much thicker under the continents (25 miles)

Question 6

We often talk about 2 types of crust, name them and state which is the heavier and which is the thicker crust

Answer 6

• oceanic (heavier crust)

- continental (thicker crust)

Question 7

Convection currents:

Where do the plates float and how do they move

Answer 7

The plates float on the mantle and are made to move by convection currents

Question 8

Convection currents:

Where do convection currents rise up from

Answer 8

They rise up from particular hotspots near the core. As the molten magma of the mantle moves, so the plates are carried with it

Question 9

What is the exact definition of a convection current

Answer 9

These are the repetitive movements set up in the mantle due to heating by the core, these currents make the crust move