Name: ______Date:______pr.______

Plate Tectonics/Earth’s Interior Chapter 5 pg 123

Please read for understanding. Then complete this study guide paying attention to the objectives.

Section 1 Earth’s Interior page 124- 131

Objectives: By the end of this section you should be able to: explain how geologists learn about earth’s inner structures and be able to identify the characteristics of Earth’s crust including the crust, mantle, and core.

1. Why doesn’t the Earth look the same today as it did millions of years ago? ______

______

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2. What types of evidence do scientists use to learn about the inside of the Earth? ______

______Give an example of each: A)______

______B)______

3. What can a rock sample tell scientists about the Earth? ______

______

______

4. Describe one “indirect evidence” method scientists use to observe the interior of the Earth: ____

______

______

A Journey to the Center of the Earth page 127

5. Why does it become warmer and warmer as you travel toward the center of the Earth? ______

______

6. Why is the center of the Earth so hot? ______

______

______

7. What is pressure and why does it increase as you travel towards the center of the Earth? _____

______

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The Crust

8. What is the crust? ______

______

How thick does the book say the crust is? ______

______

What rock is the crust made out of beneath the oceans? ______

The Mantle

9. Describe the mantle: ______

______

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10. Lithosphere- ______

______

11. Athenosphere- ______

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12. Lower Mantle- ______

______

The Core

13. Describe the Core: ______

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14. What do scientists think is responsible for the Earth’s magnetic field? ______

______

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15. Please draw a cross section of the Earth identifying the crust, mantle, lithosphere, athenosphere, lower mantle, outer core, and inner core.

Section 2 page 132-135

Objectives: By the end of this section you should be able to: explain how heat is transferred; identify what causes convection currents; and describe convection currents in the earth’s mantle.

There are three ways that heat is transferred they are:
16. Radiation- ______

______

17. Conduction- ______

______

18. Convection- ______

______

19. What are convection currents? Please give examples: ______

______

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20. Describe how convection currents work within the earth: ______

______

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Draw a picture of convection currents within the earth:

Section 3 Drifting Continents page 136-140

Objectives: By the end of this section you should be able to: Explain Alfred Wegener’s hypothesis about the continents; list the evidence used by Wegener to support his hypothesis; Explain why other scientists at the time rejected Wegener’s theory.

21. What was Wegener’s hypothesis? ______

______

______

22. Today we call his theory: ______

23. What was Pangaea? ______

______

24. What evidence did Wegener use to support his idea? (bottom of pg 137) ______

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25. Identify and describe evidence from land features: ______

______

26. Identify and describe evidence from fossils: ______

______

27. Identify and describe evidence from climate: ______

______

28.Why was Wegener’s theory rejected by other scientists: ______

______

Section 4 Sea Floor Spreading page 141-147

Objectives: By the end of this section you should be able to: List eh evidence for sea floor spreading; explain the process of sea floor spreading; describe the process of subduction.

29. What are mid ocean ridges and how did we discover them? ______

______

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30. Describe sea floor spreading: ______

______

______

Draw a diagram showing sea floor spreading:

31. What evidence from molten material does the book describe: ______

______

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32. What evidence from magnetic stripes is there? ______

______

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33. How do scientists use drilling samples to understand sea floor spreading? ______

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Subduction at Trenches page 146

34. Describe the process of subduction: ______

______

______

35. Is the Atlantic Ocean getting wider or narrower? ______

Section 5 The Theory of Plate Tectonics page 150-154

Objectives: By the end of this section you should be able to: Explain the theory of plate tectonics; describe the three different types of plate boundaries.

How Plates Move

36. What is plate tectonics? ______

______

______

There are three types of plate boundaries, they are:

37. Divergent boundaries- ______

______

Draw a picture of one:

38. Convergent boundaries- ______

______

Draw a picture of one:

39. Transform boundaries- ______

______

Draw a picture of one:

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