Layers Of the Earth
The outermost layer of the Earth, made mostly of solid rock.
What is the Crust?
This is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, divided into large pieces that move on the asthenosphere
What are tectonic plates?
The theory that explains the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates and the resulting geological features.
What is plate tectonics?
This type of rock forms from cooled and solidified lava or magma.
What is igneous rock?
These seismic waves travel the fastest and can travel through both solids and liquids.
What are Primary (P) waves?
This layer is beneath the crust and is made of semi-molten rock that moves slowly
What is the Mantel?
When two tectonic plates collide, this type of boundary is formed
What is a convergent boundary?
The boundary where two tectonic plates move away from each other.
What is a divergent boundary?
This type of rock is formed by the compression and cementation of sediments.
What is sedimentary rock?
These seismic waves are slower than P waves and cannot travel through liquids.
What are Secondary (S) waves?
This is the innermost layer of the Earth, consisting mostly of iron and nickel, and is responsible for Earth's magnetic field
What is the core?
he movement of plates at this boundary causes earthquakes and volcanic activity as plates slide past one another
What is a transform boundary?
The boundary where two plates slide past each other, often causing earthquakes.
What is a transform boundary?
This rock type is formed under intense heat and pressure, typically deep within the Earth
What is metamorphic rock?
The type of seismic wave that moves in a side-to-side motion.
What are S-waves?
The mantle is divided into two parts: the upper mantle and the lower mantle. The upper mantle includes this hot, semi-fluid layer responsible for tectonic plate movement
What is the asthenosphere
The boundary where plates move apart, often creating new ocean floor
What is a divergent boundary?
The process that occurs when one tectonic plate is forced beneath another.
What is subduction?
The process of rocks being broken down into smaller particles by weathering and erosion
What is sedimentation?
These waves move through the Earth's interior and help geologists infer the structure of the core.
What are seismic waves?
This zone, part of the lower mantle, extends from 660 km to about 2,900 km below the surface.
What is the mesosphere?
This is the process by which one tectonic plate is forced under another at a convergent boundary
What is subduction?
The location of the famous Ring of Fire, where many tectonic plates converge, causing frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
What is the Pacific Plate?
A type of metamorphic rock formed when limestone is subjected to heat and pressure.
What is marble?
The seismic boundary where S-waves are unable to travel, indicating a liquid layer.
What is the outer core?