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Earth's Structure
Vocabulary on Earth's Structure
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sphere | a round 3-D object with all points being equal distance from the center |
| Granite | a light colored igneous rock that is found in continental crust |
| Basalt | a dark, dense igneous rock found in oceanic crust |
| Pressure | the force exerted on a surface divided by the area which the force is exerted |
| Inner Core | a dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of the Earth |
| Outer Core | a layer of molten iron and nickel at the center of the Earth |
| Asthenosphere | a soft layer of the mantel on which the lithosphere floats, the plastic layer |
| Lithosphere | a ridged layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle where it meets the crust |
| Mantle | the layer of hot, solid material between Earth's crust and core |
| Core | made mostly of iron and nickel at the center of the Earth, it is broken down into two parts |
| Geosphere | Earth's entire solid body |
| Biosphere | all living organisms on Earth |
| Cryosphere | frozen water on Earth |
| Atmosphere | layer of gases surrounding the Earth |
| Gravity | is the force that every object exerts on all other objects because of their masses |
| Density | the amount of mass in a given space |
| Hydrosphere | liquid water of Earth |
| Crust | brittle rocky outer layer of the Earth |
| Magnetosphere | the outer part of the magnetic field that protects Earth from the sun's cosmic rays |
| Landform | are topographic features formed by the processes that shaped the Earth's surface |
| Plain | landforms with low relief and low elevation |
| Plateau | landforms with low relief and high elevation |
| Mountain | landforms with high relief and high elevation |
| Elevation | height above sea level |
| Relief | describes the differences in elevation |