NGS Plate Tectonics Section 1: Earth’s Interior

What are the two main types of evidence geologists use to learn about Earth's interior?

• Volcanoes and earthquakes

• Rock samples and seismic waves

• Fossils and minerals

• Weather patterns and ocean currents

What is the Earth's crust primarily made of?

• Iron and nickel

• Basalt and granite

• Sand and clay

• Lava and ash

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1

Which layer of the Earth is known as the 'outer skin'?

• Crust

• Asthenosphere

• Core

• Mantle

What type of rock mainly composes the oceanic crust?

• Basalt

• Granite

• Sandstone

• Limestone

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

What is the main composition of the Earth's core?

• Iron and nickel

• Silicon and oxygen

• Carbon and hydrogen

• Magnesium and aluminum

What is the lithosphere?

• The softest part of the mantle

• The molten metal layer

• The uppermost part of the mantle and crust

• The dense ball of solid metal

What is the asthenosphere?

• A layer of solid rock

• A dense ball of solid metal

• The softest part of the mantle

• The molten metal layer

What creates Earth's magnetic field?

• The heat from the sun

• The gravitational pull of the moon

• The rotation of the Earth

• The movement of the liquid outer core

What is the main difference between the inner core and the outer core?

• The inner core is cooler than the outer core

• The inner core is made of rock, and the outer core is made of metal

• The inner core is solid, and the outer core is liquid

• The inner core is liquid, and the outer core is solid

How do seismic waves help scientists understand Earth's interior?

• By indicating the temperature of the core

• By showing the color of rocks

• By measuring the speed they travel

• By revealing the age of the Earth

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2