2.2 Eath's Interior

Front

What is the mesosphere in Earth's interior?

Back

The mesosphere is the lower mantle, a solid, more brittle physical layer of the Earth, located below the asthenosphere.

Front

What are seismic waves?

Back

Seismic waves are energy that travels through the Earth, resulting from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, magma movement, and other rock movements.

Front

What is the mantle?

Back

The mantle is the mostly solid bulk of Earth's interior, lying between the core and the crust, and makes up 84% of Earth's volume.

Front

What is the inner core?

Back

The inner core is the innermost layer of Earth, primarily a solid ball that makes up 20% of Earth's radius.

Front

What is oceanic crust?

Back

Oceanic crust is constantly formed at mid-ocean ridges, where tectonic plates are tearing apart, allowing magma to rise and cool to form new rocks.

Front

What is the asthenosphere?

Back

The asthenosphere is a semi-fluid layer of the upper mantle that allows for the movement of tectonic plates.

Front

What is the outer core?

Back

The outer core is a liquid layer of the Earth located beneath the mantle and above the inner core, primarily composed of iron and nickel.

Front

What is the difference between the inner core and outer core?

Back

The inner core is solid and primarily composed of iron and nickel, while the outer core is liquid and also composed mainly of iron and nickel.

Front

What role do tectonic plates play in Earth's geology?

Back

Tectonic plates are large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact, causing earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountains.

Front

What is convection in the context of Earth's interior?

Back

Convection is the process of heat transfer within the Earth's mantle, where hot material rises and cooler material sinks, driving plate tectonics.