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Layers of the Earth
Earth’s Changing Landscape Vocabulary Part 1
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| crust | the outermost least dense layer of the Earth |
| mantle | the layer of rock between the Earth's crust and core |
| outer core | made of molten iron and nickel--liquid |
| inner core | made of solid iron and nickel |
| asthenosphere | the soft layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move/float on |
| lithosphere | the solid, outer layer of the Earth that consists of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle |
| magma | molten rock inside the Earth |
| tectonic plates | a block of lithosphere that consists of the crust and rigid upper mantle |
| continental crust | the outermost layer of Earth's lithosphere that forms nearly all of Earth's land surface: less dense, older, and composed of different types of granite |
| oceanic crust | the outermost layer of Earth's lithosphere that is found under the oceans; it is thinner, denser, younger than continental crust; is mostly composed of different types of basalt |
| convection currents | Heated magma rises from deep inside the mantle, while cooler magma sinks, creating a convection current; this type of current is responsible for the movements of the plates of Earth's crust |
| plate tectonics | refers to the scientific theory that Earth's outer layer (lithosphere) is divided into large, moving plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere below, causing earthquakes and volcanoes the plates meet |
| composition | components that make-up each layer of the Earth |
| density | how tightly packed the material is within each layer, with denser materials sinking to the center, meaning the Earth's core is the densest layer and the crust is the least dense layer, causing them to naturally separate based on their different densities |
| silicates | a group of minerals that make up the vast majority of the Earth's crust primarily composed of silicon and oxygen atoms bonded together; such as quartz, feldspar, and mica, along with other elements like oxygen, aluminum, and silicon |
| magnetic field | the invisible field of force generated by the movement of molten iron in the Earth's outer core and deflects most of the solar wind from the Sun |
Created by:
jaguarscience
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