Earth’s Crust
Mar 27, 2015
Earth’s Crust
Convection currents
Continental drift – idea that continents have moved slowly to their current positions due to convection currents in the mantel.
Pangea – the idea that the all land masses on earth were once a single large land mass.
Ocean floor spreading – theory that hot less dense material below Earth’s crust rises toward the surface at the mid-ocean ridges. Then, it flows sideways, carrying the seafloor away from the ridge in both directions. http://geology.com/nsta/divergent-boundary-oceanic.gif
Convection current – unequal distribution of heat in the mantel causes a net movement in a circular motion.
The Earth’s CRUST is the outer most part of the Earth’s surface.
• Average 32 km thick
• Thickest point 70 km (in mountains)
• Thinnest point 8 km (under ocean)
Plate tectonic – theory that Earth’s crust and part of the upper mantle are broken into sections called plates.
Lithosphere – all of the earth’s crust and part of the upper mantle.
http://www.allaboutspace.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Inside.shtml
Asthenosphere – plastic like layer below the lithosphere. The ridged plates of the lithosphere “float” on the more plastic layer called the asthenosphere.
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Deformation – The breaking, tilting, and folding of crustal rock due to crustal movement. (three types of forces)
1. Compression – squeezing of earth’s crust that compacts the rock. Convergent boundary
2. Tension – is the pulling apart of the earth’s crust. Divergent boundary.
3. Shearing – pushes rocks side by side in opposite directions. Transform boundary.
Convergent boundary
Divergent boundary
Transformation boundary
subduction
Rift valley
FAULTS
Normal Fault – fault caused by tension stress that moves the hanging wall down relative to the foot wall.
Reverse Fault – fault caused by compression forces where the hanging wall will move up relative to the foot wall.
In Lateral (strike-slip) faulting, the two blocks move either to the left or to the right relative to one another. Strike-slip faults are associated with crustal shear.
Thrust Fault – is formed when compression causes the hanging wall to slide over the foot wall. (almost horizontal movement)
Facts about folds/faults.
1. increased temp. =‘s fold
2. decreased temp =‘s fault
3. increased pressure =‘s fold
4. decreased pressure =‘s fault
5. rock type – brittle =‘s fault
6. rock type – ductile =‘s fold
7. time – greater the time =‘s fold
8. time – less time =‘s fault
Fault block mountain is a mountain created by blocks of rock uplifted by normal faults.
Rift Valley are valleys created when a block of land between two normal faults slide downward.
• End of chapter 10
Folds – are bends in rocks without breaking
• folds have two parts
1. Anticline – upward part of fold
2. syncline – downward part of fold
Anticline
Plateau – is a large area of flat land that is raised high above sea level. Usually bordered by cliffs or mountains.
Domes – is the uprising area caused by magma
Floating crust -
more dense less dense
•A balance exist between the downward force of the crust and the upward force of the mantle called ISOSTASY.