Intro to the Earth's interior & mantle convection.

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Question 1: If the Earth was the size of an apple, would the thickness of the Earth's crust be equal to the thickness of the apple's skin?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

Yes. The crust is a very thin layer compared to the size of the Earth.

Is the mantle between the crust and the core?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

Yes. It is also subdivided into upper and lower mantle.

Is the inner core of the Earth made of liquid rocks (magma)?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

No. It's solid and is made of iron and nickel, not rocks.

Does the inner core make the Earth's magnetic field?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

No. The outer core makes the Earth’s magnetic field.

According to the mantle convection theory, does hot mantle move from near the Earth's core towards the crust?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

Yes. Hot mantle slowly rises (takes millions of years) towards the crust.

According to the slab pull theory, does a subducted lithosphere pull on non-subducted lithosphere?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

Yes. An analogy is a towel falling off a table.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Is magma coming through an ocean ridge, a major source of spreading the plates apart at a divergent boundary?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

No. This is likely a minor role compared with mantle convection.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Does the mantle that the tectonic plates ride on have a consistency (viscosity) like magma (a thin liquid)?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

No. The mantle is hard like a rock.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-3