WHAT’S INSIDE EARTH?
On your journey back to Earth, you decide to think about the things you’ve learned about in your exploration of the universe. You start to realize that there are many similarities among the surface features of Earth and other celestial objects. To better understand what has caused the features that you observed, you decide to take a closer look at Earth. In this investigation, we will gather information about the structure of our planet.
Objective: When you have completed this investigation, you should be able to identify the layers of Earth in order to describe the structure of Earth.
Activity 1: What Do You Think About Earth’s Structure?
1. Think about what the Earth might look like if you cut it in half. Make a labeled diagram of what you think the structure of Earth might be.
2. Share your diagram with at least one other student.
3. Identify one similarity and one difference in your diagrams.
S: ______
______
D: ______
______
Activity 2: Gather Information
4. Examine the information on the resource cards provided by the teacher.
5. Discuss the information with your group members. How do you think it all relates?
6. Identify the pages your will use to gather the information.
Pages: ______
7. Read the sections on temperature and pressure.
8. Identify a pattern that exists among depth, pressure, and temperature of the Earth’s layers. Use evidence from the text to support your response.
______
9. Read the information about the layers of the Earth. Label your resource cards as you read.
10. Complete chart 1, “Layers of the Earth,” using the information from the resource cards and class discussion.
11. Explain why parts of the upper mantle (lithosphere) are solid-like while parts of the asthenosphere are liquid-like. Use evidence from the text to support your response.
______
Analysis
1. Review the diagram that you made in Activity 1.
2. Determine the accuracy of your diagram. Use evidence from the text to support your response. Also, you must include an accurate drawing of the layers of the earth with each layer correctly labeled.
3. Identify the following as characteristics of the crust, mantle, outer core, or inner core.
a. Contains the highest mountains and the deepest oceans.
b. Is sometimes considered to be “plastic-like” because it acts like both a liquid and a solid.
c. Solid crystalline structure made of iron and nickel.
d. Made entirely of molten liquid iron and nickel.
e. Contains rocks and minerals.
4. Identify two changes that occur inside the Earth as the depth increases.
a. ______
______b. ______
______
Chart 1:
Layers of the Earth
Layer of the Earth / Thickness of Layer / Temperatures / Phase (solid/liquid) / Characteristics and Other FactsCRUST
MANTLE
/ Lithosphere:
Asthenosphere:
OUTER CORE /
INNER CORE