Download Geosphere!

WHEN YOU THINK OF A
SYSTEM, WHAT COMES TO
MIND?
WHAT DO ALL THESE SYSTEMS HAVE IN
COMMON?
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1. THEY ALL HAVE INTERCONNECTING PARTS!
THE EARTH AS A SYSTEM
A system is a collection of interdependent
parts within a defined area.
The Earth is described as a system since it
also has connecting ‘parts’ that make
up its ‘whole.’
GEOSPHERE
(AKA LITHOSPHERE)
The solid part of Earth that
consists of all solid rock, as well
as soils and loose rocks on the
surface.
LAYERS OF THE EARTH
Most of the geosphere is located
underground.
CRUST
• Earth’s outermost layer (the thinnest layer)
• It is between 5 -20 km thick (3-12 miles!)
• Less than 1% of the Earth’s mass is crust.
CRUST
• The lithosphere (another name for
crust) contains the tectonic plates.
• Tectonic Plates are pieces of Earth’s
crust and the outermost crust.
• These plates ‘glide’ along the mantle.
MANTLE
• The middle and thickest layer of the
Earth’s layers
• Accounts for almost 2/3 of the Earth’s
mass!
• Two layers: Upper & Lower
LAYERS OF THE MANTLE
UPPER MANTLE
LOWER MANTLE
• Contains
‘asthenosphere’
• Contains
‘mesosphere’
• 250 km thick
(155 miles)
• 2550 km thick
(1585 miles)
• Solid, but flowing rock,
which allows the tectonic
plates above it to move as
well.
CORE
• Earth’s innermost layer
• Composed of the most dense elements.
• Radius is 3428 km
(2,130 miles!)
• There are 2 layers
• Inner core
• Outer core
INNER CORE:
Solid iron and nickel
OUTER CORE:
Hot Liquid Metal
LAYERS OF THE CORE
PARTS OF THE GEOSPHERE
• Tectonic Plates – Plates of rock gliding
on the mantle
•Plate tectonics are constantly moving
either
•Away from one another (Divergent)
•Slipping past one another (Transform)
•Colliding into each other (Convergent)
PARTS OF THE GEOSPHERE
• A fault is a fracture or break in the
Earth’s crust due to plate movement.
• The vibrations that occur during plate
movement is felt as an earthquake!
RING OF FIRE – IS THERE A SIMILARITY
BETWEEN THIS AND MAP OF TECTONIC
PLATES?
PARTS OF THE GEOSPHERE - EARTHQUAKES
• Earthquakes are
measured by
their magnitude,
or how much
energy they
release.
• The Richter scale
is used to
measure
earthquakes’
magnitudes.
PARTS OF THE GEOSPHERE
• A volcano is a mountain built from magma.
• Magma is melted rock that is underground.
• Volcanoes are typically found near tectonic plates,
either on land or in the ocean, where they eventually
turn into islands.
• http://www.snopes.com/photos/natural/maiken.asp
EFFECTS ON THE PLANET
 Earthquakes can do millions of dollars in damage to
cities and infrastructures (roadways)
 Volcanic eruptions can damage surrounding areas
and can cause human loss
Hot ash can hurt buildings, bury crops and damage car
engines and people if inhaled
Volcanic eruptions can change global climate due to
blocking sunlight!