Geological -Layers of Earth Terms

mantle

• the layer of Earth between the crust and the core

• the outermost layer of the Earth

• a type of rock found in the crust

• the liquid layer surrounding the core

molten

• liquefied by heat, especially metal or glass

• solidified by cold temperatures

• a type of solid material

• a mixture of gases

fault

• a long break in a body of rock or the Earth's crust. Usually, rocks are displaced on either side of the break.

• a type of rock that is formed from volcanic activity.

• a geological feature that indicates the presence of water underground.

• a process of erosion that shapes the landscape.

crust

• The inner layer of a planet or moon.

• The rocky outer layer of a planet or a moon; the layer of the Earth above the mantle, the outermost layer.

• The gaseous layer surrounding a planet.

• The molten layer beneath the Earth's surface.

convection

• Intense heat causes the rocks in the mantle to rise and fall.

• Cold air sinks while warm air rises, creating a cycle.

• Heat is transferred through direct contact between materials.

• Liquid water evaporates into vapor and rises into the atmosphere.

core

• The outer layer of a planet that is solid and rocky.

• The central part of a planet, especially the inner part of the Earth. It usually has different physical properties from the surrounding layers.

• A layer of gas surrounding a planet.

• The surface layer of a planet that is composed of water.

tectonic plates

• Large sections of the Earth's surface that move independently over the mantle

• Small, fixed sections of the Earth's crust that do not move

• Layers of the Earth's atmosphere that affect weather patterns

• Solid rocks that make up the Earth's core

continental drift

• the gradual movement of the continents across the Earth over time.

• the sudden shift of tectonic plates causing earthquakes.

• the process of continents merging into a supercontinent.

• the theory that continents are fixed and do not move.

lithosphere

• the layer of rock that makes up the outer part of the Earth, including the crust and upper mantle

• the inner core of the Earth that is solid and composed mainly of iron

• the layer of gases surrounding the Earth that is essential for life

• the molten rock beneath the Earth's surface that causes volcanic eruptions

asthenosphere

• A thin layer of the Earth, about 150 miles thick, between the mantle and the crust. It is very hot and nearly a liquid.

• The outermost layer of the Earth, composed mainly of solid rock.

• A layer of the Earth's atmosphere that contains the ozone layer.

• The innermost layer of the Earth, consisting of solid iron and nickel.