1. Earth Materials

2. Review of the Earth’s Spheres & Layers

3. Earth’s 4 Spheres atmosphere hydrosphere biosphere geosphere

4. Layers of the Geosphere Layers of differing Composition, sorted by Density Descriptions based on the composition and density of the layers: Crust – least dense, rocky matter, lots of silica rock. (high in aluminum & silicon) Mantle – thick shell of dense, rocky matter (upper mantle contains common olivine and pyroxene, lower mantle the rocks contain more magnesium & iron) Core – the most dense, consists mostly of metallic iron and nickel

5. Layers of differing Physical properties based on physical properties (solid or liquid) Lithosphere – all of the crust and the uppermost Mantle. Rocks are rigid Asthenosphere - high temp. make the rocks “plastic” and easily deformed Mesosphere - high temp & pressure make the rocks solid & strong Outer Core – Liquid, melted rock Inner Core - soli

6. Elements, the building blocks of all material Minerals, the building blocks of rock s The lithosphere is made of more than one hundred Elements. But there are only 8 that are found in Abundance. Oxygen Silicon Aluminum Iron Calcium Sodium Potassium Magnesium

8. Oxygen – 46% By mass almost ½ of all the wt./mass of the lithosphere is from oxygen 60% by numbers of atoms. If you “could” count every atom, 60% of them are oxygen 94% by volume, of all of the atoms of all elements in the crust, oxygen takes up 94% of the space

9. Definition of a Mineral Naturally occurring Inorganic Solid Orderly crystalline structure Definite chemical composition: CaSO 4, PbS, Fe 3 O 4

10. Formation of Minerals Crystallization of magma or lava Precipitation of minerals

11. Pressure & Temperature Mixes & remixes minerals

12. Hydrothermal solutions Hot water loaded w/minerals, the water evaporates & minerals are left behind Hot Springs Underwater Volcanoes or “sea mounts” Remnants of super heated mineral water breaking through cracks in the rock

13. Since oxygen and silicon comprise most of the lithosphere then the majority of minerals contain these two elements. They are called “Silicates” They have a unique structure based on 1 silicon and 4 oxygen. The silica tetrahedron

17. Due to the stability and strength of this geometric shape it is used in building design Sports dome in Houston, TX Epcot center at Disneyworld, Orlando FL

18. Union Tank Car Co. Baton Rouge, LA

19. The Eden Project Worlds largest greenhouse, Cornwall England

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