The inner core is solid, whereas the outer core is liquid . ... Denser materials, such as nickel and iron, sank to the Earth’s center and became its core, whereas less dense, more buoyant materials such as silicon and aluminum, rose to the Earth’s surface and became its primitive crust.
How do the lithosphere and asthenosphere differ quizlet?
The lithosphere differs from the asthenosphere because the lithosphere is the solid outer layer of the earth and the asthenosphere is below the mantle and made of slow flowing rock . You just studied 56 terms!
What is the main or key difference between the inner core and outer core?
The inner core is a hot, dense ball of (mostly) iron. ... The temperature of the inner core is far above the melting point of iron. However, unlike the outer core, the inner core is not liquid or even molten . The inner core’s intense pressure—the entire rest of the planet and its atmosphere—prevents the iron from melting.
Is the asthenosphere stronger than the lithosphere?
In the lithosphere, the rocks are cooler, stronger, and more rigid than the asthenosphere . It is rock strength that differentiates the lithosphere from the asthenosphere. The differences in strength between rock in the lithosphere and rock in the asthenosphere is a function of temperature and pressure.
How did the inner core and outer core differ?
The inner core and the outer core are made up of similar stuff chemically (both are made mostly of iron, with a little nickel and some other chemical elements)–the difference between them is that the outer core is liquid and the inner core is solid .
What are the similarities and differences between the inner and outer core?
It is composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above Earth’s solid inner core and below its mantle. The transition between the inner core and outer core is located approximately 5,150 km beneath the Earth’s surface. Unlike the inner core, the outer core is not solid . This is also referred to as the “liquid core”.
What are 3 facts about the inner core?
- It’s Almost The Size of the Moon. The Earth’s inner core is surprisingly large, measuring 2,440 km (1,516 miles) across. ...
- It’s Hot...Really Hot. ...
- It’s Mostly Made of Iron. ...
- It Spins Faster Than the Surface of the Earth. ...
- It Creates a Magnetic Field.
What is the biggest difference between the asthenosphere and lithosphere?
The lithosphere consists of the earth’s crust and the uppermost solid layer of the mantel. But asthenosphere consists of only the uppermost weakest layer of the mantel. ... The lithosphere is elastic due to the crust and the tectonic plates being a part of this layer.
What is the lithosphere primarily made of quizlet?
lithospheric plates. Relatively thick, composed primarily of less dense granite type rocks , and forms the continents as well as their adjacent shallow seabed. You just studied 30 terms!
What are the two types of crust?
Earth’s crust is divided into two types: oceanic crust and continental crust . The transition zone between these two types of crust is sometimes called the Conrad discontinuity. Silicates (mostly compounds made of silicon and oxygen) are the most abundant rocks and minerals in both oceanic and continental crust.
What is the largest earth layer?
* The mantle is the largest layer of the Earth. It is 2900km thick. *It includes the lithosphere and athenosphere. *It is relatively flexible—it flows like very viscous liquid.
What is an interesting fact about the asthenosphere?
The asthenosphere is the region of the upper earth considered to be mechanically weak . It sits below the lithosphere, reaching from 50 miles to 120 miles below the earth’s surface. The boundary where the lithosphere and asthenosphere meet is referred to as the LAB.
Is the asthenosphere solid or liquid?
2. Asthenosphere –The asthenosphere is made of very viscous, ductile, semi-solid material on which the lithosphere moves. It is a solid that can behave like a liquid , and it is about 440km thick.
What is the distance between the inner core and outer core?
The transition between the inner core and outer core is located approximately 5,150 km (3,200 mi) beneath the Earth’s surface.
How does the inner core move?
The inner core rotates in the same direction as the Earth and slightly faster, completing its once-a-day rotation about two-thirds of a second faster than the entire Earth. Over the past 100 years that extra speed has gained the core a quarter-turn on the planet as a whole, the scientists found.
What is the distance between crust and inner core?
The total distance from the crust to the core is 6378 km .
