Earth’s Interior

Interior=inside

Geologist

• A geologist is a scientist that studies the forces that shape earth’s surface

• 200 years ago was the start of geology

• Geology is fairly new

Rock

• The material that forms Earth’s surface

• Geologists study rocks

Forces that shape Earth

• Constructive

• Destructive

Constructive

• Building up

Ex. Construction

The building (MS) was changed constructively.

Constructive

• Mountain ranges forming(slowly)

• Over millions of years

Destructive

• Forces that slowly wear down the Earth’s surface

• Destroy =Destruction

Destructive

• Erosion by wind and water

• Think of our local beaches

Journey to the Center of the Earth

• Temperature increases

• Pressure increases

How do we know what inside Earth is like if we can’t travel through it?

• Scientist know this by studying seismic waves/data from earthquakes

If you took that journey you would find layers of the Earth

• Crust

• Mantel

• Core

Crust

• “skin” of earth• Like the shell of an egg or onion skin• VERY THIN!!!!!!• Includes land on bottom of ocean floor

– Thinnest under the ocean(basalt)– Thickest under mountains(granite)

• Is part of the lithosphere• Most abundant element oxygen then silicon

Lithosphere

• Lithosphere means stone

• Crust and uppermost mantle

• Rigid

• Contains plates

Oceanic vs. Continental Crust

Oceanic Continental

Under oceans Under continents

thinner thicker

Made of basalt(think salty ocean) Made of granite

More dense Less dense

Asthenosphere

• Gooey/bendable

• Plastic like rock

• Convection take place here

• Found in Upper mantle only

• NOT A LIQUID!!!!

• SOLID

Mantle

• A layer of hot rock

• is also part of the lithosphere

Core Center of the Earth)

• Inner core

• Outer core

Outer core• Acts like a thick liquid

Inner Core• dense ball of solid metal

• Heat source for convection

• Hotter than the sun

• Spins-creates earth’s magnetic shield

The Lithosphere

•

Crust and uppermost mantleFloats on the asthenosphereBroken into pieces- tectonic plates

Crust

• Crust part of the (Lithosphere)– Continental– Less dense – Oceanic– More dense

Mantle

– Upper Mantle called the asthenosphere