Chapter 1 Study Guide
Atmosphere
Geosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Parts of Earth’s System
The relatively thing later of gases that form Earth’s outermost layer
The densest parts of Earth that include the crust, mantle, and core
The portion of Earth that consists of water in any of its forms, including oceans,
glaciers, rivers, lakes, groundwater, and water vapor
The parts of Earth that contain living things
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Sources of Energy for Earth’s Systems:
Heat from the sun
Heat from the Earth
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Term
Definition
Examples
Constructive force
A natural process that builds up Earth’s
surface
Volcanoes, earthquakes
Destructive Force
Any natural force that tears down or
wears away Earth’s surface, such as
through weathering and erosion
Ice, rain, wind, changing temperatures
Chapter 1 Study Guide
How do geologists study the Earth?
Direct Evidence
Rock Samples
Indirect Evidence
Seismic Waves
Geologists get rock by drilling into Earth or from volcanic
eruptions. The rocks tell scientists about the structure and
conditions inside Earth.
Seismic waves are produced by earthquakes. Geologists can
study the way the waves travel through Earth. The path of the
waves changes when they hit different materials.
What are the layers of Earth?
Pressure increases as depth increases,
Crust- outermost layer of solid rock
Oceanic Crust- thinner crustmostly composed of basalt
rock (Think: “salt” water)
Continential Crust- thicker
crust- mostly composed of
granite rock
Mantle-layer of hot rock
Lithosphere-uppermost layer
of the mantle with the crustrigid and rocky
Asthenosphere- middle layer
of the mantle- softer, but still
solid
Mesosphere- deepest layer of
the mantle-hot, but more rigid
because of heavy pressure
Core-innermost part of Earth-mostly
made of iron and nickel
Outer Core-hot, molten liquid
Inner Core-extremely hot, but
solid due to intense pressure
Scientists think the convection currents inside the liquid outer
core create the Earth’s magnetic field!
Chapter 1 Study Guide
What is heat transfer?
Heat transfer is the movement of
energy (heat) from a warmer object to
a cooler object.
What are the three types of heat
transfer?
Radiation, Convection, Conduction
What is radiation?
Energy moves through empty space,
such as in rays from the sun.
The heat from the sun travels through
the air to reach the Earth.
What is conduction?
Heat transfers between materials that
are touching (direct contact).
When you walk on the hot sand, the
heat transfers directly to your feet
through touch.
What is convection?
What is a convection current?
Heat transfers through the movement
of a liquid, such as when boiling soup.
Convection current is the movement of
a fluid caused by differences in
temperature (heating and cooling).
Heat from the core and mantle cause a
convection current in Earth.
What is density?
Density is a measure of how much mass
there is in a given volume of a
substance.