Earth's Layers Quiz

Select the THREE characteristics that describe the oceanic crust.

• mostly granite

• thinner form of crust

• older form of crust

• made mostly of basalt

• 5–10 km thick

Select the THREE characteristics that describe the asthenosphere.

• contains the upper mantle only

• made of less rigid rock, like silly putty

• closer to Earth’s surface

• made of solid rock

• contains the crust and upper mantle

Select the THREE characteristics that describe the mantle.

• thickest of Earth’s layers

• average temperature of 3000°F

• rocks rise and sink through convection

• thinnest of Earth’s layers

• made of rock rich in nickel and lead

Select the THREE characteristics that describe the inner core.

• made of liquid nickel and iron

• spins faster than Earth rotates

• 1,250 km thick

• made of solid nickel and iron

• 2,300 km thick

Your classmates are having a disagreement on what creates Earth's magnetic field. Each student saw the diagram above and stated that a different part is responsible for the magnetic field. Melena: Part 1, the crust. Jordan: Part 2, the mantle. Corinne: Part 3, the outer core. Michael: Part 4, the inner core. Which student is correct?

• Melena

• Jordan

• Corinne

• Michael

Which evidence supports the answer best?

• The solid core spins as Earth rotates.

• Convection in the mantle creates a magnetic field.

• Magma in the outer core moves to create a magnetic field.

• Metals in the crust rotate with Earth to make a magnetic field.

A team of scientists sent a deep ocean probe to study the ocean floor. Explain how the oceanic crust studied by the submarine is different from the crust found on a continent.

• The oceanic crust is made mostly of granite. It is also thicker, older, and not as deep as the continental crust.

• The oceanic crust is made mostly of basalt. It is also denser, thinner, younger, and deeper than the continental crust.

• The oceanic crust is below the mantle and is made mostly of magma. It is not very thick.

Your science teacher heats a beaker of water on a burner. She then adds rice to the heating water. The rice spins in the water as shown below. Which layer of Earth’s crust does this model the best? Explain why.

• The demonstration models the crustal layer best. It shows that volcanoes can exist under water because of the molten rock circulating in the currents of the Earth.

• The demonstration models the core layer best. The rice spinning in the heated water represents the magnetic field circulating in the convection currents of the outer core.

• The demonstration models the mantle layer best. The rice spinning in the heated water represents the molten rock circulating in the convection currents of the mantle.

Scientists know a lot about Earth’s layers, but we have never dug below the crust. Explain how seismic waves help us understand Earth’s layers.

• Earthquakes and rock movement create seismic waves. These waves travel through Earth’s layers but cannot pass through certain materials. This helps us understand which layers are solid and which are liquid.

• Avalanches cause erosion, deposition, and seismic waves. The waves cannot travel through the solid crust unless they are really strong. This helps us understand that some layers are rocky and other layers are watery.

• Seismic waves are created by wind and water energy. They can only travel through the oceanic crust. This helps us understand which layers are land and which are water.