Earth's Layers
This is the thin, external solid layer of the Earth where we live.
Crust
These are massive pieces of landmass and ocean floor that are in constant motion beneath our feet.
tectonic plates
This fiery geological feature is formed when tectonic plates collide and molten rock erupts onto the Earth's surface.
volcano
About 240 million years ago, all land on Earth was united in one single giant supercontinent with this name.
Pangaea
This thick layer of the Earth is located beneath the crust and is made of molten rocks or magma.
Mantle
Tectonic plates float and move on top of this extremely hot, liquid and semi-liquid layer coming from the mantle.
magma
This is the name of the major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where 75% of the world's volcanoes are located.
The "Ring of Fire"
This process describes how the continents slowly moved apart over millions of years due to tectonic plate movements.
Continental drift
This is the innermost layer of the Earth, which is a solid ball made of iron and nickel with temperatures reaching around 5,430 °C.
Inner core
When two tectonic plates collide, the heavier plate does this action underneath the lighter one.
Slide underneath/Subduction
This is the scientific term used when magma breaches the Earth's surface through cracks or fractures in the crust.
Lava
These ancient preserved remains or impressions of plants and animals found in sedimentary rocks help scientists understand past life.
Fossils
This layer of the Earth's core surrounds the solid inner core and is composed of liquid iron and nickel.
Outer core
This is the approximate speed at which tectonic plates move every year.
A couple of centimetres a year
This type of rock is formed when magma erupts under the ocean or from a volcano and cools down.
igneous rock
This is the type of rock where fossils can exclusively be found, formed from compressed layers of sand, dust, and organic debris.
Sedimentary rocks
This is the percentage of Earth's total volume that corresponds exclusively to the mantle.
82%
Besides the seven main plates, this is the exact number of minor plates defined as having an area smaller than 20 million km2 but greater than 1 million km2.
15 minor plates
According to our studies, this is the approximate percentage of the world's active volcanoes that are located within the "Ring of Fire".
75%
By definition, for an organic remain to be officially classified as a fossil, it must be at least this many years old.
At least 10,000 years old