Download Access Prior Knowledge Background

6.10A: Layers of Earth
Earth and Space
Access Prior Knowledge
1.  Name the layers of Earth.
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2.  The asthenosphere has a property called plasticity. Explain the property of plasticity.
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3.  Which force caused the matter around the Sun to clump together and create a planet?
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4.  What physical property of matter caused the layers to form?
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Background
You learned that Earth has layers, but why did this happen? The
layers are made of various elements and some elements have a
greater density than others. When Earth first formed, elements
and compounds were in a liquid state. As Earth cooled, the denser
materials sank to the center and the less dense materials floated
to the top. Earth's crust is mainly composed of elements and
compounds that include silicon, oxygen, and aluminum. Earth's
core is mainly made of iron and nickel. Iron and nickel are much
denser than silicon, oxygen, and aluminum. Thus, density plays a
big part in determining the location of the layers of Earth.
Seismologists are scientists that have learned a lot about the layers of Earth from studying seismic
waves. Seismic waves are waves of energy that are caused by earthquakes. Earthquakes create a
variety of waves and their speeds can be measured. Some wave types travel through the rocks in
the crust, while other types go all the way through Earth. The speed of a wave changes depending
on the density of the rocks it passes through. With this information, scientists can interpret the
physical characteristics of the layers in Earth's interior.
You will conduct an investigation to model the structural layers of Earth.
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6.10A: Layers of Earth
Earth and Space
Begin the Investigation
1.  The hypothesis:
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2.  My prediction:
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3.  What is the independent variable (also known as the manipulated variable), if applicable?
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4.  What is the dependent variable (also known as the responding variable), if applicable?
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5.  Is a control sample or group needed in this investigation? Explain.
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6.  What materials, equipment, and technology will I need for this investigation?
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7.  What safety precautions must I take in this investigation?
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8.  Carry out this investigation using the following procedure.
Record your procedure in your lab journal.
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6.10A: Layers of Earth
Earth and Space
Continue the Investigation"
COLLECT, RECORD, AND ORGANIZE DATA
I will use a graduated cylinder and a calculator to implement my comparative investigation.
I will organize the data in the tables below and record the results of data collection.
1.  Density of the orange juice.
Object
Mass (units)
Graduated cylinder with 20 mL of orange juice
Empty graduated cylinder
Mass of 20 mL of orange juice
Density = (mass of orange juice) / (volume of orange juice)
Write calculations in the space below.
2.  Density of the baby oil.
Object
Mass (units)
Graduated cylinder with 50 mL of baby oil
Empty graduated cylinder
Mass of 50 mL of baby oil
Density = (mass of baby oil) / (volume of baby oil)
Write calculations in the space below.
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6.10A: Layers of Earth
Earth and Space
Continue the Investigation, continued"
ANALYZE DATA
Use the data you organized to answer the following question:
1.  When Earth first formed, elements and compounds were in a liquid state. I modeled this mix of
liquid elements and compounds during this investigation when I:
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2.  Based on my measurements and calculations, the density of baby oil was:
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3.  Based on my measurements and calculations, the density of the orange juice was:
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4.  What is my explanation of the final position of each liquid layer?
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5.  The thickest layer in Earth's interior is the mantle, yet the mantle layer formed above the much
smaller core of Earth. My liquid layer model was similar because:
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6.  Based on this investigation and my knowledge of Earth's interior layers, I can predict that the
density of a specific layer is either denser or less dense than other layers.
The asthenosphere is ___________________ than the lithosphere.
The crust is ___________________ than the core.
The core is ____________________ than the mantle.
The crust is ___________________ than the mantle.
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6.10A: Layers of Earth
Earth and Space
Reflections and Conclusions
1.  Is the hypothesis supported or not supported by the data? Explain.
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2.  How did the results reveal a relationship between the dependent variable and independent
variable, if applicable?
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3.  Where could errors have been made while collecting or organizing data?
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4.  What type of data did I collect—qualitative or quantitative? Explain.
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5.  What can I conclude from this investigation?
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6.  What would I do differently if I were to conduct this experiment again?
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