FLASHCARD Compositional Layers of Earth

Front

What are seismic waves?

Back

Released waves of energy that travel through rock.

Front

What happens to hotter, less dense magma near the core?

Back

It rises.

Front

What happens to pressure, density, and temperature as you get closer to Earth's core?

Back

They all increase.

Front

Why do the plates of the crust move?

Back

Because of convection currents in the mantle.

Front

What are compositional layers?

Back

Layers defined by their chemical properties.

Front

What is the outermost physical layer of Earth called?

Back

The crust.

Front

What is the solid part of the core due to more pressure?

Back

The inner core.

Front

What is the layer made up primarily of low-density materials called?

Back

The crust, primarily composed of silicates.

Front

What is the mantle?

Back

The layer of Earth between the crust and the core, involved in convection currents.

Front

What is the Moho Discontinuity?

Back

The boundary between the Earth's crust and the underlying mantle.