Earths layers+Sea floor spreading Flashcards
Earths layers: What is the Oceanic Crust?
On average: 3 miles thick under the oceans. Thinner than the continetal crust, but more dence
EL: What is the Continental Crust?
On avreage: 19 miles thick. Thicker than oceanic crust, but less dence
EL: What is Lithosphere?
Contains the crust togehter with the top part of the upper mantel. Associated with tect activity. (earthquakes)
EL: What is Asthenosphere?
Rocks are so hot here that they become soft enough to flow. More dence asthenosphere allows the less dence sithosphere to float above it
EL: What is Transition Zone?
Layer between the upper mantel and the lower mantle. Despite the heath rocks DON’T MELT here, but become more dense. Crystals in rocks hold as much as 3 times as much water as all the oceans on the surface.
EL: What is the Lower Mantle
Even hotter and denser than the upper mantle and transtion zone. Intence presure keeps the lower mantle solid.
EL: What is the outer core?
Made of liquid iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni). Very hot between 4,500 degrees celcius-5500 degrees celcius.
Sea floor Spreading: Who is Harry Hess?
Taught at Princeton unigersity as a Geophisicist. During WWll he became captin of the USS CAPE JOHNSON. An attack transport vessel with new technolagy SONAR.
