Study Guide
# 1 and 2
Name the layers of the Earth.
Describe the composition of each of the Earth’s
layers.
Crust = Mostly Solid Rock
Mantle = Melted Rock
Lithosphere= Crust and upper rigid mantle
Asthenosphere: the part of the mantle that starts to become more liquefied
(Convection Occurs Here)
Outer Core = Liquid Iron and Nickel
Inner Core = SOLID Iron and Nickel (it is kept solid due to the great pressure of the layers
above it.
#3
Explain the interactions that take place between
the different layers of Earth (core and mantle,
mantle, crust, lithosphere, and asthenosphere).

Heat from the inner core and the outer core move through the layers of
the earth and that energy is released through the crust. Within the Earth,
irregular heating, which causes convection currents, within the mantle
transfer heat from the core to the surface of the planet. The asthenosphere
is pliable and can be pushed and deformed like silly putty in response to
the warmth of the Earth. The flowing asthenosphere carries the
lithosphere of the Earth, including the continents, on its back.
#4.
What is the energy source that drives the
movement of the Earth’s plates?
THE CORE
--It heats up the inside of the Earth (due to friction
and decay (aging)) and drives convection currents
(heat transfer in the magma) in the mantle.
#5
What is the difference between chemical and
physical weathering?
Chemical changes the actual substance (the state of it), but
physical just changes its appearance.
Example:
 Physical- Water seeps into the cracks of a rock, when
the water freezes it cracks the rock. This happens
because water expands when frozen. The rock itself
doesn't change, just the appearance. Other examples:
Wind, Gravity, Ice, Plant Roots, Animals.
 Chemical- Acid rain. This process can occur by water
being evaporated from a polluted water source when it
rains it can cause discoloring or the breaking down of
rocks. Other examples—Anything that changes
chemical composition (dissolving, rusting, oxidizing)
# 6 What will occur when water and limestone
interact?
The limestone will be weathered and eroded
(chemically altered) by the water as it percolates
into the aquifer and into the bedrock. The water,
already slightly acidic naturally, dissolves the
limestone. Over time, the limestone dissolves and
caverns, caves (open holes) form. These cavities
can collapse and form a sink hole. *Karst
topography!!!!!
# 7 What are the primary agents of physical
erosion and how do they change the surface of
Earth?
 What is the relationship between volume of
water passing through an area and the amount
of erosion that takes place?
Wind, water, ice, gravity, animals and plants
(roots).
Physical erosion changes the surface of the Earth
by slowly wearing away and moving features on
the Earth’s surface.
The more water, and the faster the stream, the
more erosion can be done.
#8
Describe several ways in which rock layers can be
dated.
Relative age dating (superposition). For instance,
a river cuts deep into the Earth and exposes layers.
The oldest layer is the farthest down.
Absolute age dating (carbon dating)--uses half
lives by measuring the amount of carbon,
uranium, etc. in a substance.
#9 Describe the steps of the rock cycle and the
types of rocks that are created during each process.


Intrusive Igneous—Magma hardens INSIDE the Earth, beneath the surface
Extrusive Igneous – Magma (lava) hardens OUTSIDE the Earth
****KNOW THE PROCESSES EACH ROCK UNDERGOES!!!!

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Sedimentary: Weathering/Erosion,
compaction/ cementation
Igneous: cooling of lava/ magma
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Extrusive =Outside Earth Cooling, Intrusive= Inside
Earth Cooling.
Metamorphic: heat and pressure
Sediments: weathering and erosion
Magma: melting
# 10 and 11 --Explain Wegener’s theory of
continental drift AND why it is different from
Plate Tectonics.
Wegener thought that all of the continents once were
joined together as one big landmass. This super
continent was called Pangea. Using the theory of plate
tectonics, all of the continents broke apart forming
Earth as we know it today. He used fossils, rocks, and
coastlines as evidence.
**Wegener’s problem was that he could not explain
WHY the continents were moving. Plate Tectonics
explained WHY using convection currents and the
explanation that new crust formation is pushing the
continents (as part of the crust).
# 12 Describe the 4 types of interactions that can
take place between tectonic plates.
# 13 Explain the different land features that result
at each type of plate boundary.
Name_______________________________ J#_______
Plate Tectonics Tree Map
Types of Plate Boundaries
Convergent
Divergent
Transform
Example 1
Example 1
Example 1
Oceanic-Continental
Process= Subduction (Sinking of one plate due to density)
Geologic Feature = Trench AND Continental Volcanoes
Process= Seafloor Spreading
Geologic Feature = New Seafloor(Crust
Underwater Volcanic Ridge
Example 2
Example 2
Oceanic-Oceanic
Process= Subduction (Sinking of one plate due to density)
Geologic Feature = Trench AND Volcano Island Arc
Process= Continental Separation
Geologic Feature = Rift Valley
Process=Friction/Tension
Geologic Feature = None
Geologic Event = Earthquake
Example 3
Continental-Continental
Process= Uplift/Folding
Geologic Feature = Mountains
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****Subduction is sometimes considered a 4 type of boundary. It destroys the
MOST amount of the Earth’s crust.
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
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Convergent Boundaries: When two plates move towards each other, they will
collide. This is called convergent plate movement. As the plates collide, some
crust is destroyed due to the impact, which is why convergent boundaries are also
called destructive boundaries. Sometimes, one plate will sink, or subduct, under
the other plate.
Divergent Boundaries: Divergent plate movement occurs when two plates
move away from each other. Magma from the mantle underneath the crust to rise
up to the surface to cool and solidify, forming new crust at the plate
boundary.
Transform Boundaries: Transform plat movement occurs when two plates slide
laterally past each other. However, movement is not smooth due to friction
between the rocks and the two plates. Therefore, the two plates sometimes become
‘stuck’ and lock together. Since the convection currents of the underlying magma
are still dragging the plates, much tension and pressure is built up at the
boundary and, once there is a sufficient buildup of pressure, the rocks in the
plates will break and get jerked apart.
Subduction: Subduction occurs at convergent boundaries when one more dense
plate slips below a less dense plate and pierces the mantle below.

Very distructive to Crust
#14 Explain how the process of erosion affects
Florida’s beaches each year.
#15 What actions could we take to prevent the
erosion of Florida’s shorelines?


Because Florida is surrounded by water we are
naturally susceptible to erosion; Tides alone wash
away or sand. Hurricanes and storm surge does this
much more quickly. Construction on the beaches,
driving, destruction of natural habitats have sped up
this process.
We can plant more plants along the beach berms.
Plant roots hold the sand in place and naturally
prevent erosion. We can also ban driving on beaches.
**Our barrier islands (which can take the brunt of storms)
off the coast are particularly at risk. Native grasses have
been stripped in these areas and we must replant them in
order to protect both these islands (from sinking) and our
mainland.
# 16 Understand the processes that create
underground caves and Karst topography in
Florida.
Underground caves are natural cavities beneath the surface of the earth, created by groundwater
dissolving the limestone bedrock.
Karst topography is a landscape created by groundwater dissolving sedimentary rock such as limestone.
Sink holes can also be found! As the roofs of these caves and caverns are unstable and topped by sand.
Florida gets its electricity from burning coal. These pollutants can get into our water supply, through
acid rain, and damage the soil which in turn would create more acidic percolation into the bedrock. This
would speed up the process of limestone breakdown, in addition to hurting our soil.
#17 Understand the methods used to measure the
age of Earth and its parts.

See # 8
# 18 Explain the processes that create and destroy
Earth’s crustal material.
# 19 Where would Earth’s crust be the oldest? The
newest?


Earth’s crust is destroyed at convergent plate boundaries where trenches
form due to one plate subducting under the other
Earth’s crust is created at divergent plate boundaries where mid-ocean
ridges form when magma from the mantle comes to the surface and cools
and hardens.
Where would Earth’s crust be the oldest? The newest?
# 20 Identify common features found on the ocean
floor (abyssal plain, continental shelf, continental
slope, guyot, mid-ocean ridge, seamount, and
trench).
Trench= Deepest parts of ocean-Where crust is destroyed due to subduction.

Mid-Ocean Ridge= New Crust (seafloor spreading-boundary between divergent plates)

Seamounts (mounts under the sea) and Guyots (Seamounts that went above water and
were eroded back down).

Abyssal Plain=bottom of the ocean—cold dense water moves along

Shelf (contains deposition of sediment)

Slope= Drop off—Much erosion steep slope that marks the boundary between
continental and
oceanic crust

#21 What gases make up our atmosphere?
#22 Which of these gases are most important to
living organisms? WHY?
The atmosphere is:
78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, and 1% other gases (such as Argon,
Ozone, Water, and Carbon Dioxide).
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

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Carbon dioxide and oxygen are the gases in the atmosphere that
are needed for life.
Animals need oxygen to breathe.
Plants need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. They use sunlight
to change carbon dioxide and water into food. The process releases
oxygen.
Other living things depend on plants (Producers) for food. These
organisms need the oxygen plants release to get energy out of the
food. Even plants need oxygen for this purpose. PRODUCERS
are the main source of Oxygen for our planet!
#23 What is the water cycle? What energy source
drives the water cycle?
This unending circulation of Earth’s water supply is the
water cycle. The water cycle is a worldwide system
powered by the sun.
Balance in the water cycle means the amount of
precipitation and evaporation are equal. This is what is
ideal for full function of the water cycle. *For instance,
if the amount of solar radiation would increase, the
amount of evaporation would increase. If this
happened, the amount of precipitation would also have
to increase or we would wind up in a drought!
# 24 What is the carbon cycle?
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
Carbon is an element that makes up every living thing on our planet. It
continuously moves through all plants, animals, soils, oceans, and the
atmosphere.
The movement of carbon is referred to as the carbon cycle.