1. Dynamic Earth

2. Geosphere Rock layer of the earth (rocks, soil, magma) Made of 3 parts Crust, Mantle, and Core

3. Crust Thin outer layer of the geosphere. Made of thin elements that can float on the earth’s surface.

4. Mantle Layer under the crust. Made of dense iron rich elements. Very hot and flows very slowly

5. Core Center layer of the geosphere. Made of very dense iron and nickel materials. So hot, some parts are liquid.

6. Lithosphere Includes the crust and outer layer of the mantle It floats on a hot plastic like layer of the mantle

7. Asthenosphere The hot plastic like layer the lithosphere floats on

8. Tectonic Plates Puzzle like pieces of lithosphere that float on the asthenosphere. Our continents are on tectonic plates

9. Plate Boundaries We get a lot of activity where plates meet and move against one another (faults).

10. Earthquakes when plates slide against each other we feel vibrations called earth quakes (can cause tears in the crust)

11. Mountains and Volcanoes When plates push into one another the crust can rise, forming a mountain where they meet. Hot magma can also leak through the space where plates meet forming a mountain called a volcano.

12. Erosion When wind or water wear away at the crust forming new or shaping old structures.

13. Atmosphere The mixture of of gases surrounding the earth 78% Nitrogen, only 21% oxygen. Made of 4 layers

14. Troposphere Dense layer of gases closest to the earth where weather happens

15. Stratosphere The layer above the troposphere that contains the Ozone Layer.

16. Ozone Ozone is gas made of 3 oxygens (O 3 ) Ozone absorbs much of the harmful UV rays of the sun so they don’t reach the earth. (skin cancer)

17. Mesosphere Layer above the Stratosphere. Coldest Layer of all.

18. Thermosphere Highest and hottest layer of all. Absorbs X-rays and gamma rays causing it to glow (the Northern Lights)

20. Hydrosphere All the water near the earths surface Oceans, lakes, rivers, ground water, ice caps, clouds

21. Ocean Currents Wind patterns cause different currents in our oceans (cold or warm) These currents affect our climate (gulf stream)

22. Biosphere The areas near the earths surface that support life

23. Balance Geosphere, Atmosphere, and Hydrosphere all work together to make perfect conditions for life to be possible.