Earth becomes layered

a) Crust - Silicon & Oxygen
- continental versus ocean

b) Mantle - Magnesium & Iron
- lower versus upper

c) Core - Iron Alloy
- inner versus outer parts

•  still in the process of cooling off..

•  Outer Core = Internal Heat
  Engine
 

- Major Layers distinguished by composition

-  Upper mantle divided based on properties

-  Lithosphere = brittle and rigid crust and outer mantle

-  Asthenosphere = plastic and flowable

- Lithosphere floats on and glides across the Asthenosphere

- convection in lower mantle pushes and pulls lithosphere in different directions and caused it to break into plates

-  moving plates = Plate Tectonics

-  layered earth = SOLID EARTH part of the Earth system
- Another part of the Earth System =
 the Atmosphere

- protected from solar winds by the earth’s magnetic field

-  weather and climate

- Why are the ocean basins at lower elevations than the continents?

-  Density….

-  containers for the oceans - major part of the Hydroshpere

- Solar Powered cycling of water on the surface of Earth
-  Hydrologic Cycle

-  sculpts the surface of earth
- The Biosphere

- Is the Earth a closed system?

• the parts of the Earth system are linked => events that occur in one system can affect the others