Earth Structure Flashcards

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1
Q

Do we have any direct observation of the interior structure of the Earth?

A

No

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2
Q

How to we know what is below the Earth’s crust?

A

Indirect observations

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3
Q

What are 2 kinds of indirect observations we use to study the interior structure of the Earth?

A

Seismic Waves

Discontinuities

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4
Q

Describe Seismic Waves

A

How we measure earthquakes
Surface waves: travel across whole earth
Body waves: travel through earth

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5
Q

What are discontinuities?

A

Boundaries between layers

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6
Q

List the compositional layers of the Earth’s interior according to density

A
Crust = least dense
Mantle = more dense
Core = highest density
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7
Q

What are the final layers and character of the Crust?

A

Crust=
Crust - Solid
Uppermost Mantle - Solid

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8
Q

What are the final layers and character of the Mantle?

A

Mantle=
Asthenosphere - Plastic
Upper Mantle - Solid
Lower Mantle - Solid

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9
Q

What are the final layers and character of the Core?

A

Core=
Outer Core - Liquid
Inner Core - Solid

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10
Q

What is a plastic?

A

A malleable solid (changes shape when pressure is applied)

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11
Q

What is Moho Discontinuity (ie Mohorovicic)?

A

In the Lithosphere, the boundary between the crust and the uppermost mantle

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12
Q

Where is the Lithosphere?

A

The Lithosphere sits on the asthenosphere, floating along

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13
Q

What are the 2 types of crust and how do they differ?

A

Oceanic- thinner and denser (floats lower)

Continental- less dense and thicker (floats higher)

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14
Q

What is Isostatic Adjustment?

A

When the crust thickens, gets heavier and sinks (mountain building) or when the crust thins, gets lighter and floats (mountain wears away) -made possible by the plasticity of the Asthenosphere, causing Lithosphere to get pushed down and rise back up as weight changes on top

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15
Q

What is a Geological Process/Cycle?

A

The set of processes that lead to changes in characteristics of the earth/changes the surface of the earth

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16
Q

What are the 2 Geological Processes?

A

Exogenous and Endogenous

17
Q

Describe Exogenous

A

Process occurring outside the earth

18
Q

Describe Endogenous

A

Process occurring from within the earth

19
Q

How old is the Earth?

A

4.6 billion years old = “Incomprehensible”

20
Q

What are the 2 ways to measure time?

A

Absolute and Relative

21
Q

What is Absolute Time?

A

How long something has been in existence (ie Radiometric dating)

22
Q

What is Relative Time?

A

How old something is in relation to something else (ie Superposition, Relative dating)

23
Q

What is Uniformatism?

A

The same physical processes active in the environment today have been operating throughout geologic time. The slow application of a process making small changes over long periods of time.

24
Q

What is Catastrophism?

A

Sudden, large changes in a short period of time (pertains to more non-scientific understandings of the world)