Plate Tectonics Flashcards
What are the 4 layers of the earth?
Crust, inner core, outer core, mantle
What is the crust?
A solid layer of rock on the surface of the planet
What is the mantle?
The mantle is a semi-liquid layer of magma or molten rock that moves due to convection currents
Outer core
The liquid part of the core which has a similar composition to the inner core
Inner core
The inner core is the solid part at the center of the Earth, It is made of iron and nickel
How hot is the inner core?
Temperatures reaching 5,500°C
How thick is the outer core?
2200km thick
How thick is the inner core?
1200km thick
How deep is the mantle?
3000km deep
How thick is the crust?
10-100km thick
What moves the crust? (Plates)
Convection currents in the mantle
What does dynamic mean
It is constantly moving and changing
What are tectonic plates?
Huge slabs of crust that float on the semi-liquid mantle and move or “drift” very slowly
What is the proof of tectonic plates’ existence?
Mountain ranges, tsunamis, volcanoes and earthquakes
Why do the plates move?
NRG trapped during the Big Bang and nuclear explosions in the core 6000km down create vast amounts of heat. As this heat tries to escape it “boils” semi-molten rocks in the mantle and slowly moves the crust above it
