Download Earth’s Layers Guided Notes

Earth's Layers
1. How do we think the Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago? Explain this process.
The ancient solar system was filled with many ________ and small ________.
Gravity pulled these __________, meteors, and ___________ planets toward the Earth.
2. Describe the early Earth.
The ancient Earth was so ______ that solid rock melted across the __________ _________.
3. Why was the early Earth so hot?
4. What is radioactive decay and what radioactive element do we think is in the inner core?
Radioactive decay is extra _________ that is kicked out by the __________ so that it can
become stable.
5. What are the 4 layers of the Earth based on composition?
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6. Describe the crust.
___________ layer (6-70km thick). Composed of many different ____________ and all
types of _________. High concentration of __________, _________, and _________
7. Describe the mantle.
Thickest layer. _______km thick (______% of Earth’s Volume). Composed
of _________, __________, __________, and ____________.
8. Describe the outer core.
9. Describe the inner core.
10. What are the 5 layers of the Earth based on physical properties?
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11. Describe the difference between the crust and the lithosphere.
The ________, outermost _________ layer of the Earth. Broken into large pieces
called ___________ ____________.
12. Describe the asthenosphere.
Literally means __________ ___________. It is a __________ layer, but it gets so
hot that it __________ like chewed chewing gum and ___________ in large circles
called _____________ _____________.
14. What happens in a convection current? (Be sure to describe density and temperature)
You can draw arrows and label the diagram below!
As __________ heats up, the ___________ gain energy and
__________ nearby particles away, becoming ________ dense.
Lower density material __________. As ___________ cools down,
away from the heat source, the ______________ lose energy and
become ____________. This material ____________.
15. What happens to temperature, pressure, and density as you move deeper into the
Earth?
16. Why is the Earth’s interior so hot?
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17. Where would you find the most dense type of rock?
The “___________ ___________” and is far more __________ and ________ than the
asthenosphere. It _________ the core layers.
18: Planetary Differentiation:
This is the process in which _________ dense materials of a planet ___________ to the center,
while ________ dense materials stay on the ____________