C2- Chemical Resources Flashcards
(97 cards)
What is the outer layer of the Earth called?
Lithosphere

What is the lithosphere composed of?
Crust and upper mantle
Relatively cold and rigid layer
What is the lithosphere made up of?
Tectonic plates, which are less dense than the mantle below
Where is most information about the Earth from?
Seismic waves produced by earthquakes and man-made explosions (as the crust is too thick to drill through)
What state is the mantle in?
Cold and rigid just below the crust, but at greater depths it is hot and non-rigid and able to move
What temperature is the mantle?
Increases at depths due to the Earth’s core transferring energy
What moves the plates?
Convection currents
What is subduction?
- oceanic crust is denser than continental crust
- when plates collide, oceanic plate (cooler at the margins) sinks
- pulls plate down and oceanic plate melts as it reaches the hotter part of the mantle
Why do scientists now accept the theory of plate tectonics?
- it explains a wide range of evidence
- has been discussed and tested by many scientists
What was Wegener’s continental drift theory and why has it now been accepted?
His idea was that the Earth’s continents were once joined together, but gradually moved apart over millions of years. In 1960s, new sea floor spreading evidence was found and is now accepted.
What evidence was there for the continental drift theory?
- same types of fossilised animals and plants are found in South America and Africa
- shape of the east coast of South America fits the west coast of Africa, like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle
- matching rock formations and mountain chains are found in South America and Africa

Why does magma rise through the Earth’s crust?
It is less dense than the crust and can cause volcanoes
Why do geologists study volcanoes?
- to try to forecast future eruptions
- reveal more about the structure of the Earth
Which raw materials make which building materials?
- clay ⇒ brick
- limestone and clay ⇒ cement
- sand ⇒ glass
- iron ore ⇒ iron
- aluminium ore ⇒ aluminium
What type of rock is limestone?
Sedimentary rock
What is sedimentary rock?
Rock which has formed when fragments of older rock or living things have stuck together or by precipitation
Is limestone hard?
It is quite soft as it was made from soft sediments compressed and cemented together
What type of rock is marble?
Metamorphic rock
What is metamorphic rock?
Rock which has been changed after it has formed
Is marble hard?
Marble is harder than limestone as it has been changed by heat and pressure, composed of interlocking mosaic of carbonate crystals
What type of rock is granite?
Igneous rock
What is igneous rock?
Rock which has formed when liquid rock has solidified
Is granite hard?
It is very hard as it was formed when magma cools and solidifies, made with interlocking crystals.
What is thermal decomposition?
A reaction when one substance breaks down on heating to give at least two new substances




