Layers of the Earth

Crust

Earth's outermost layer.

Mantle

Earth's thickest layer made of hot rock and is less dense than the core, less hot, and has less pressure on it. It also has plasticity

iron and nickel

What is the core made of?

Composition

What something is made of

Layers of the Earth

crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

Relative Density

floating or sinking when compared to water

Basalt

A dark, dense, igneous rock with a fine texture, found in oceanic crust

Inner Core

A dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of Earth

Outer Core

A layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of Earth

Density

A measure of how much mass there is in a volume of a substance.

Lithosphere

A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.

Granite

A usually light colored igneous rock that is found in continental crust

Convection Currents

Circular currents in the mantle caused by the magma being heated by the core off the Earth.

Density formula

D=m/v

tectonic plates

Sections of the Earth's crust that move due to convection currents.

Mass

The amount of matter in an object.

Volume

The amount of space an object takes up

Continental Crust

The portion of the earth's crust that primarily contains granite, is less dense than oceanic crust, and is 20-50 km thick

Asthenosphere

The solid, plastic layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere; made of mantle rock that flows very slowly, which allows tectonic plates to move on top of it

Oceanic Crust

the portion of Earth's crust that is usually below the oceans and not associated with continental areas, thinner and higher in density that continental crust and basaltic rather than granitic in composition

seismic waves

vibrations that travel through Earth carrying the energy released during an earthquake