Transcript Earths Interior Day1 - Hicksville Public Schools / Homepage

AIM: How have geologists learned about Earth’s interior?
What are the characteristics of Earth’s crust, mantle and
core?
OBJ: Given notes and activity sheet SWBAT describe
techniques used to investigate Earth’s interior and the
characteristics of Earth’s crust, mantle and core with 70%
accuracy.
DN: Hand-in Ecology and Solutions Activity Sheets; Distribute
EIPT Review Sheets and Inside Earth Textbooks
ACT: Introduction to Techniques to investigate Earth’s interior
Characteristics of Earth’s Crust, Mantle and Core
HW: Text, read p.6-13; Work on Being A Scientist Packet;
Interim Exam, Thursday, January 22.
How have geologists learned
about Earth’s Interior?
Rock Samples: drilling up to 12 km into
Earth; tectonic faulting & uplift has revealed
rocks from more than 100 km depth.
Seismic Waves: because rock layers have
different densities, seismic waves move at
different speeds through the rock layers.
Geophysicists use this seismic wave data to
construct a “picture” of the earth’s deep
internal layers (e.g., crust, mantle, core)
Seismogram
Crust (outermost Earth layer)
Crust: solid layer of rock. Two types:
• continental crust: forms the continent,
granite in composition
• oceanic crust: forms the ocean floor,
basalt in composition
Mantle (thick middle layer)
Mantle: hot rock nearly 3000 km thick
Lithosphere: rigid, solid rock consisting of
the crust and hot uppermost mantle; 100 km
thick
Asthenosphere: softer, hot, clay-like rock
that can bend.
Lower Mantle: solid rock
Core
Core: metal iron & nickel composition; liquid outer core and solid inner core;
3,486 km thick.
Outer core: the movement of the liquid outer core generates the Earth’s
magnetic field.
Inner core: is solid because extreme pressure prevents the Fe, Ni atoms from
spreading apart and becoming a liquid.
Earth’s
magnetic
field created
by movement
of the outer
liquid iron
core
Moving liquid metal created
magnetic field in laboratory
Solar winds
Sun (star)
Earth
Earth’s magnetic field
Earth’s magnetic field protects life from harmful
solar winds