Earth’s Layers
What are the four main layers of the Earth?
crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core?
What was the name of the supercontinent that existed millions of years ago?
Pangaea
What do we call a scientist who studies the Earth?
geologist
What are preserved remains of living things from long ago?
Fossils
Why did some people not believe Pangea could have been real at first
They believed the earth always looked the way it is now
Which layer of the Earth is the thinnest?
The crust
Which layer of the Earth causes the movement of tectonic plates?
The mantle
What is melted rock inside the Earth called?
Magma
Fossils found in the same rock layer are likely from the same what?
The same time period
What is it called when continents slowly move over time?
Continental drift
What is the solid metal layer that is the hottest?
The inner core
What landform is created when two tectonic plates collide?
Mountain
What is a deep valley in the ocean where one plate moves under another?
Ocean trench
What can scientists learn by studying fossils in rock formations?
Past environments and changes in Earth's surface
What do we call a big dip or low area in the land?
A basin
What is the layer that contains magma?
The mantle
What is the process called when one plate slides under another?
Subduction
What is proof or information that supports a conclusion?
Evidence
What type of rock is formed from cooled lava or magma?
Igneous rock
How do earthquakes happen?
The sudden release of energy from shifting tectonic plates.
What do scientists use to study Earth's layers if they can't see them directly?
Seismic waves
What natural disaster is often caused by tectonic plate movement?
An earthquake
What is the idea that Earth’s crust is broken into moving sections?
Plate tectonics
Why do fossils sometimes appear at the tops of mountains?
The movement of tectonic plates pushing rock layers upward
What is the difference between magma and lava?
Magma is underground, and lava is magma that has reached the surface.