Solid Earth

Essentials of Geology

Bilingual groupFaculty of Education,UCM

Structure and composition of Earth

Earth’s interior structure

Lithosphere vs crust

Seismic waves

Contents

Earth’s interior

-Ni alloyDensity (g/cm3)

<3.0 3.4 10.5 16

http://ed.ted.com/on/a9ogBrc3

Lithosphere vs crust

The crust and the lithosphere both are names

for the outermost part of the solid earth, but

they are defined in different ways.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/inside.h

tml

The crust and the next layer down, the mantle, are defined by their composition (chemical properties). How to

study the composition of the different layers? Using the speed of earthquake waves (or manmade seismic

waves from explosions, etc.). See next slide.

The lithosphere in defined by physical properties, rather than chemical properties. Confusingly, these can also be

measured by the speed of earthquake waves. The lithosphere includes all of the crust and some of the upper

mantle as well. Below the lithosphere is another part of the mantle, known as the asthenosphere, which

behaves like plastic.

Seismic waves

http://ed.ted.com/on/d1VqoQY3http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/L

abs/SeismicWaves/seismic.swf

Bilingual groupFaculty of Education,UCM

Essentials of Geology

Credits:

TED-Ed videos

http://ed.ted.com/on/a9ogBrc3

http://ed.ted.com/on/d1VqoQY3

USGS

http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/inside.html

University of Utah

http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/Labs/SeismicWaves/seismic.swf

Please send your comments and suggestions regarding

this presentation to juan.pena@quim.ucm.es

Solid Earth