The Earth system involves many cycles.The Earth system involves many cycles. For exampleFor example The Hydrologic CycleThe Hydrologic Cycle is the cycle that circulates the earths water supply. The Rock Cycle illustrates the origin of the three basic rock types

A) dust and gasses (nebula) started to gravitationally collapse. B) the nebula thinned into a rotating disk that heated up. C) as it cooled the nebular cloud caused rocky and metallic material to reduce into solid particles. D) repeated collisions caused the dust sized particles to combine into asteroid sized bodies. E) in a few million years the bodies turned into planets. The Formation of the Solar System

Mantle Core Inner Core The earths interior is divided into three different layers.

LayerThickness (kilometers)Chemical compositionNotes Continental Crust35-40 kmConsists of many rock types, but mostly granite Ranges the rocky mountains and Himalayas Oceanic Crust7 kmComposed of dark igneous rock basalt Made with continental crust also Upper Mantle660 kmStiff lithosphere, and weaker asthenosphere, and the bottom is the transition zone Extends from crust to mantle boundary Lower Mantle660 kmLays between rocky mantle and not liquid iron outer core The bottom few hundred layers are called the D layers Outer Core2270 kmLiquid layer metallic ironEarths magnetic field Inner Core1216 kmSolid ironHas a sphere radius Lithosphere250 kmWeak asthenosphereLithosphere can move independently Asthenosphere350 kmSoft weak layerThe lithosphere is attached to asthenosphere

The oldest crustal material that has been identified was found in Northwestern territories of Canada, about 4 billion years agoThe oldest crustal material that has been identified was found in Northwestern territories of Canada, about 4 billion years ago.

Continents and Ocean basins are the two principal divisions of Earth’s surface.Continents and Ocean basins are the two principal divisions of Earth’s surface. Lands and mountains are the two categories of features found on the continents. Near sea lands are usually flat and green, and mountains are high and rocky most of the time.Lands and mountains are the two categories of features found on the continents. Near sea lands are usually flat and green, and mountains are high and rocky most of the time.

Geologists predict all of their theories about Earth’s interior because there is no way to drill a hole that would be deep enough to reach Earth’s core.Geologists predict all of their theories about Earth’s interior because there is no way to drill a hole that would be deep enough to reach Earth’s core.

Three regions of ocean floor Oceanic Ridges Continental Margins Deep-Ocean Basins

Describing three portions of the continental margins. Continental shelf-flooded extension of the continentsContinental shelf-flooded extension of the continents Continental slope 60% of Earth’s Surface is made from the Oceans.Continental slope 60% of Earth’s Surface is made from the Oceans. Continental Rise-consists of a thick accumulation of sediment that moved down slope from the continental shelf to the deep ocean floorContinental Rise-consists of a thick accumulation of sediment that moved down slope from the continental shelf to the deep ocean floor

Characteristics of different features found in deep-ocean basins The linear chains of volcanoes, deep canyons, plateaus, and large expense of monotonously flat plains are widely visibleThe linear chains of volcanoes, deep canyons, plateaus, and large expense of monotonously flat plains are widely visible