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Layers of the Earth Plate Tectonics Unit Day 1 notes Interior of the Earth • What are the 4 layers of the Earth? – Crust – Mantle – Outer core – Inner core • Which layer has the convection currents? The Mantle Lithosphere: solid layer the plates sit on Asthenosphere: plastic layer that can flow with convection currents Lower mantle: rigid layer Asthenosphere Lab • The asthenosphere is part of the upper mantle, located directly below the crust layer. • Unlike the solid, rocky crust, the asthenosphere is a semi-solid region of melted rock. • Because of the temperature and pressure at this location, the magma (melted rock) here can act both as a rigid solid and a fluid liquid. • Although the material in this location is made from rock, it can still be bent twisted, folded and/or molded Asthenosphere Lab • In today’s lab, you will create a model substance that acts like the asthenosphere • The substance will sometimes act solid and sometimes act liquid (it has plasticity) Asthenosphere Lab • Put one “spoonful” of cornstarch into your glass beaker • Fill the graduated cylinder with 10 mL of water • Pour 5mL of water into the glass beaker with your “spoonful” of cornstarch • Stir the mixture together • If the mixture is too thin and watery, add a little more of the cornstarch • If the mixture is too thick and gloopy, add a little bit more water (less than the 5 mL left in your cylinder) • When the mixture is just right, it will be a bit difficult to stir. If you can’t tell if you’ve mixed it just right, raise your hand and ask. • Try to pour the mixture from the beaker into your hands. Do this over your plastic bin. Plate Tectonics! Heat is always moving from the interior of the Earth toward space! 1) What is happening on the left side of this animation (the yellow)? 2) What is happening on the right side of this animation (the blue)? 3) How is this like convection? Convection currents in the Earth • Molten rock is less dense than solid rock so it wants to move up and “float” • As the rock moves further up some gets forced out onto the Earth’s crust. • The remaining rock is cooled (it is farther away from its heat source) and begins to sink. • Then the whole process begins again. Reflection Questions (answer on the bottom of your notes from yesterday) 1. How did the mixture act when you tried to pour it into your hands? 2. How did the mixture act when you tried to roll it into a ball in your hands? 3. How might the plasticity of the asthenosphere influence the movement of the Earth’s lithospheric plates? 4. What provides the energy to move the plates in the lithosphere? How does it work? (Hint: see page 310 in red book if needed) 5. What if the mantle loses its plasticity? Predict what the impact will be. (Hint: think interior and exterior of the Earth) 1. 2. Measure the space you have on your paper (in cm) Take the thickness of earth (6411km) and divide by your paper size. This is your scale factor (1 cm = ____km) 3. Use a calculator to divide each layer thickness by your scale factor to figure out the distance of your drawing 4. Measure out each distance and sketch your pie wedge drawing 5. Color and label each layer of the earth in your drawing. Earth Layer Actual thickness (km) Inner Core 1216 Outer Core 2270 Mantle 2885 Crust Total Earth Layer thickness for drawing (cm) 25 6411 (length of page) Movement of Plates