1. Table of Contents Chapter Preview 4.1 Earth’s Interior
4.2 Convection and the Mantle
4.3 Drifting Continents
4.4 Sea-Floor Spreading
4.5 The Theory of Plate Tectonics

2. Chapter Preview Questions
1. What is Earth’s major source of energy?
a. the Sun.
b. the Moon.
c. rocks.
d. gravity.

3. Chapter Preview Questions
1. What is Earth’s major source of energy?
a. the Sun.
b. the Moon.
c. rocks.
d. gravity.

4. Chapter Preview Questions
2. A feature of Earth’s surface with high elevation and high relief is a(n)
a. plain.
b. mountain.
c. ocean.
d. plateau.

5. Chapter Preview Questions
2. A feature of Earth’s surface with high elevation and high relief is a(n)
a. plain.
b. mountain.
c. ocean.
d. plateau.

6. Chapter Preview Questions
3. An inorganic solid made of one or more minerals is a(n)
a. mineral.
b. rock.
c. landform.
d. element.

7. Chapter Preview Questions
3. An inorganic solid made of one or more minerals is a(n)
a. mineral.
b. rock.
c. landform.
d. element.

8. Chapter Preview Questions
4. A map is a(n)
a. feature of Earth’s surface.
b. way of learning about the natural world.
c. area of low elevation.
d. model of Earth.

9. Chapter Preview Questions
4. A map is a(n)
a. feature of Earth’s surface.
b. way of learning about the natural world.
c. area of low elevation.
d. model of Earth.

10. Use Greek Word Origins asthenes weak asthenosphere Word Meaning
Examples
asthenes
weak
asthenosphere

11. Use Greek Word Origins
Word
Meaning
Examples
litho-
stone
lithosphere

12. Use Greek Word Origins seismos earthquake seismic Word Meaning
Examples
seismos
earthquake
seismic

13. Use Greek Word Origins sphaira sphere lithosphere Word Meaning
Examples
sphaira
sphere
lithosphere

14. Use Greek Word Origins tektón carpenter, builder tectonics Word
Meaning
Examples
tektón
carpenter, builder
tectonics

15. Apply It!
Review the Greek roots and meanings in the chart. Then predict the
meaning of seismic waves. As you read, revise your definition as needed.
Use these Greek words to help you figure out unfamiliar words in
this chapter.
Sample: Because seismos means “earthquake,” I can infer that seismic
waves are caused by earthquakes.

16. End of Chapter Preview

17. What are Earth’s plates, and how do their movements
change our planet’s surface?

18. What are Earth’s plates, and how do their movements
change our planet’s surface?
Imagine knocking a hardboiled egg against a table so that the shell cracks in several places. Then suppose that you slice the egg in half to make a cross section of the shell, egg white, and yolk. Explain how your sliced egg with the cracked shell can serve as a model of Earth.

19. Section 1: Earth’s Interior
Lesson Objectives
You will be able to explain how geologists learn about Earth’s inner structures.
You will be able to identify the characteristics of Earth’s crust, mantle, and core.

20. Section 1: Earth’s Interior
California Standard
6.1.b Students know Earth is composed of several layers: a cold, brittle lithosphere; a hot, convecting mantle; and a dense metallic core.

21. Section 1: Earth’s Interior
How have geologists learned about Earth’s inner structure?
What are the characteristics of Earth’s crust, mantle, and core?

22. The Earth is made up of 4 main layers: the crust, the mantle, the outer core, and the inner core.

23. The Earth is made up of 4 main layers: the crust, the mantle, the outer core, and the inner core.

24. Quick Facts
5-40 km thick
5-70 km thick beneath mountains
Thickest under mountains; thinnest under the ocean
Continental (land) mostly granite
Oceanic (ocean floor) mostly basalt
The Crust is Earth’s outer skin and it includes both dry land and the ocean floor.

25. Quick Facts
Nearly 3,000 km thick
Temperature: 870ºC – 4,400ºC
Solid layer but the rock gets soft like bread as you travel down
Lithosphere is rock hard
Asthenosphere is very hot and rock becomes soft like bread
Convection currents move molten rock in cycles
The Mantle is Earth’s first inner layer made up of three sub-layers: the lithosphere, the asthenosphere, and the lower mantle.

26. The Outer Core is Earth’s liquid layer made up of iron and nickel.
Quick Facts
Nearly 2,300 km thick
Temperature: 4,400ºC – 6,100ºC
Liquid layer
Convection currents move molten rock in cycles
Movement of liquid believed to create Earth’s magnetic field (poles)
The Outer Core is Earth’s liquid layer made up of iron and nickel.

27. Quick Facts
Nearly 1,200 km thick
Temperature: 6,100ºC – 7,000ºC
Solid layer made of metal
Extreme pressure from other layers pushes down on inner layer and squeezes it solid
The Inner Core is Earth’s innermost solid layer made up of iron and nickel.

28. Identify the vocabulary term featured in these animations
Identify the vocabulary term featured in these animations. Define the term in your own words. Share your definition with your table.

29. Identify each layer of the Earth
Identify each layer of the Earth. Compare the layers with at least two similarities. Contrast the layers with at least two differences. Share your findings with your table.

30. Compare the lithosphere and asthenosphere layers with at least two similarities. Contrast the layers with at least two differences. Share your findings with your table.

31. Explain how earthquakes and seismic waves are related
Explain how earthquakes and seismic waves are related? Why do earthquakes occur? Share your findings with your table.

32. Name the layers in order from the surface to the center of the earth.
Compare the layers with at least two similarities.
Contrast the layers with at least two differences. Share your findings with your table.

33. List Earth’s four main layers. Describe two of them.
Warm-Up
List Earth’s four main layers. Describe two of them.

34. Section 2: Convection and the Mantle
Lesson Objectives
You will be able to explain how heat is transferred.
You will be able to identify what causes convection currents.
You will be able to describe convection currents in Earth’s mantle.

35. Section 2: Convection and the Mantle
California Standard
6.4.c Students know heat from Earth’s interior reaches the surface primarily through convection.

36. Section 2: Convection and the Mantle
How is heat transferred?
What causes convection currents?
What causes convection currents in Earth’s mantle?

37. There are three ways in which heat can transfer: radiation, conduction, and convection.

38. Radiation is the transfer of energy through space.
3 types of heat transfer: radiation, conduction, and convection

39. Radiation
Radiation is heat transferred with no direct contact between the objects. Heat energy is transferred through space.

40. Conduction
Conduction is heat transferred by direct contact/touch between objects.

41. Convection
Convection is heat transferred through gases or liquids.

42. Convection currents rise and sink through the mantle and liquid outer core.
What part of Earth’s interior is like the soup in the pot?
What part is like the burner on the stove?

43. Density measures how much mass is in the volume of a substance (how much “stuff” is packed into an object). ***Can you order these items from least to greatest densities?

44. Convection currents is the heating and cooling of a liquid
Convection currents is the heating and cooling of a liquid. Differences in density and the force of gravity causes motion in the liquid.

45. List the three types of heat transfer. Explain all three.
Warm-Up
List the three types of heat transfer. Explain all three.

46. Section 3: Drifting Continents
Lesson Objectives
You will be able to explain Alfred Wegener’s hypothesis about the continents.
You will be able to list the evidence used by Wegener’s to support his hypothesis.
You will be able to explain why other scientist of Wegener’s time rejected his hypothesis.

47. Section 3: Drifting Continents
California Standard
6.1.a Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mid-ocean ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types and ancient climatic zones.

48. Section 3: Drifting Continents
What was Alfred Wegener’s hypothesis about the continents?
What evidence supported Wegener’s hypothesis?
Why was Wegener’s hypothesis rejected by most scientists of his day?

49. Continental Drift is the idea that our continents were once joined and have since drifted apart.

50. Pangaea was the supercontinent that existed about 300 million years ago before the continents drifted apart.

51. Continental Drift is the idea that continents move slowly over Earth’s surface.

52. Alfred Wegener was a German scientist who first introduced the idea of Pangaea and Continental Drift.

53. Wegener used three pieces of evidence to help explain and support his idea of Continental Drift:
Land features
Fossils
Climate

54. Evidence of Land Features

55. Evidence from Fossils

56. Evidence from Ancient Climatic Zones

57. Click the Video button to watch a movie about mantle convections.

59. Warm-Up
What evidence supported the hypothesis of continental drift? Explain one.

60. Section 4: Sea-Floor Spreading
Lesson Objectives
You will be able to explain the process of sea-floor spreading.
You will be able to list the evidence for sea-floor spreading.
You will be able to describe the process of subduction at deep-ocean trenches.

61. Section 4: Sea-Floor Spreading
California Standard
6.1.a Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mid-ocean ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types and ancient climatic zones.

62. Section 4: Sea-Floor Spreading
What is the process of sea-floor spreading?
What is the evidence for sea-floor spreading?
What happens at deep-ocean trenches?

63. Click the Video button to watch a movie about sea-floor spreading.

64. Sonar
The mid-ocean ridge system is more than 50,000 kilometers (km) long.
What is unusual about Iceland?

65. What happens to the rock along the ridge when new molten material erupts?

66. How are these matching stripes evidence of sea-floor spreading?
Molten Material
Magnetic Stripes
Drilling Samples
How are these matching stripes evidence of sea-floor spreading?

67. Where would the densest ocean floor be found?

68. Because of sea-floor spreading, the distance between Europe and North America is increasing by a few centimeters per year.

69. Describe the process of sea-floor spreading.
Warm-Up
Describe the process of sea-floor spreading.

70. Section 5: The Theory of Plate Tectonics
Lesson Objectives
You will be able to explain the theory of plate tectonics.
You will be able to describe the three types of plate boundaries.

71. Section 5: The Theory of Plate Tectonics
California Standard
6.1.c Students know lithospheric plates the size of continents and oceans move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in the mantle.

72. Section 5: The Theory of Plate Tectonics
What is the theory of plate tectonics?
What are the three types of plate boundaries?

73. The theory of Plate Tectonics is the idea that our continents move slowly in different directions.

74. The theory of plate tectonics explains the formation, movement, and subduction of Earth’s plates.

75. There are 3 kinds of plate boundaries: spreading boundaries, colliding boundaries, and sliding boundaries. This causes the plates to move differently at each boundary.

78. Plate Motions Over Time

79. Continental Drift Activity
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and access Active Art about continental drift.

80. List the three kinds of plate boundaries. Describe each.
Warm-Up
List the three kinds of plate boundaries. Describe each.

81. Quick Take Quiz
Click to start quiz.

82. Build
Your
Vocabulary

83. Practice Test!
Click to start
practice test!