STANDARD 8.E.5A.3- Students should be able to communicate information about the relative position, density, and composition of Earth’s layers to describe the crust, mantle, and core.
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 8.E.5A.4 - Construct explanations for how the theory of plate tectonics accounts for (1) the motion of lithospheric plates, (2) the geologic activities at plate boundaries, and (3) the changes in landform areas over geologic time.
THE LAYERS OF THE EARTH
The Earth is divided into THREE MAIN layers
1. ______
2. ______
-The layer that lies between the crust and upper mantle is called Lithosphere
-Below the Lithosphere is the Asthenosphere (is also known as the
______)
3. ______(WHICH IS BROKENT INTO 2 SECTIONS: Outer and Inner Core)
1. The Crust (The Layer of which Life Exists)
* The Earth’s crust is very ______compared to the other layers.(It is the ______and ______Layer)
*Composition: Solid ______made of mostly silicon and oxygen
* State of Matter: ______
*2 types of crust
1. ______crust(very dense, made of______rock, thinnest, sinks under the continental crust, and is considered the youngest crust because it’s being ______)
2. ______(less dense, made of ______rock, Thickest, and is the oldest type of crust)
* The crust of the Earth is broken into many pieces called______Plate
2. Lithosphere (Lies between the ______and ______)
rigid/hard that is apart of the crust
composed of and divided into pieces or ______or ______plates
made up of rocks and soil
The lithospheric or tectonic plates floats on tom of the ______
State of Matter: ______
3. Asthenosphere (The ______Mantle)
- ______portion of the mantle
- composed of solid ______rock
- layer on which pieces of ______move on top (solid rock that flows)
- Think of it like caramel
- State of Matter: ______
4. The Mantle
The mantle is the layer below the crust.
It is the ______/largest layer of the Earth.
It is composed of hot molten softened rock that flows
66% of earth’s mass
It is made up primarily of magnesium and ______.
State of Matter: ______
Plate Movement
Tectonic plates of the lithosphere are moved around by ______currents in the ______
Convection is the ______transfer through ______ material.
Convection currents are the ______loop of sinking and rising hot, soft rocks caused by energy transfer in the ______(mantle) of Earth
How are Scientists able to identify the composition of the mantle??
The movement of seismic waves through the earth’s layers as well as materials ejected from volcanic activity. Most ______that erupts during volcanic activity is actually just melted ______and is ______ material from the mantle and/or the core.
The Core: (A Ball of Very Hot Metal)
The core is divided into two parts (Outer and Inner Core) and is the ______dense layer.
5. Outer Core
______iron and nickel
Very dense
State of matter: Only ______layer
6. Inner Core:
______iron and nickel/State of Matter: ______
______part of the Earth
This layer has temperatures (______) and ______so great that the metals
aresqueezed together to create a solid.
Temperature______as depth increases
How do scientists know the composition of the Core? ______waves produced by______travel at different speeds through solid rock and liquids.
Why is the Inner Core solid? The ______of all of the other materials above it put a lot of ______on the inner core, keeping it solid!
Why does the Earth have a Magnetic Field?The magnetic field is caused by the movement of the ______(spinning) and______core(flowing liquid).
Review Questions
1. Label the diagram
2. The ______is the densest layer, made of solid iron and nickel.
Use the following word bank to answer questions 3 through 4.
- Continental Crustb. Oceanic Crust
3. Which layer is composed of mostly basalt rock? _____
4. Which layer is composed of mostly granite rock? ____
Use the following word bank to answer questions 5, 6 &7.
- Iron & Nickelb. Silicon & Oxygenc. Iron & Magnesium
5. Earth’s crust is composed mostly of which two elements? _____
6. Earth’s mantle is composed mostly of which two elements? _____
7. Earth’s core is composed of which two elements?____