DYNAMIC EARTH

STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH The Earth consists of four main layers the inner and outer core, the mantle and the crust.
Outer core Lithosphere (Crust)

Asthenosph ere

Inner core

Mantl e

The Earths crust is also known as the lithosphere which comes from the Greek word litho which means rock. The mantle is not the same all the way through and there is a section of the mantle which is partly melted called theasthenosphere. The deeper you go into the earth, the hotter it becomes. This is why the outer core is molten; however, the inner core is solid because of the enormous pressure from the rocks above it.

CONTINENTAL DRIFT

The theory of Continental drift was proposed by Alfred Wegener. He suggested that the continents developed from a single super continent called Pangaea. About 225 million years ago Pangaea split into two land masses, Laurasia and Gondwana. As these two continents drifted apart they broke up even further forming the continents we have now.

The evidence that scientists use to support the theory of continental drift is The continents are still moving due to the sea floor spreading. Similar rock structures found on the coast of matching continents. The same fossils found in rocks from different continents. Matching continental coastlines.

PLATE TECTONICS The theory of plate tectonics provides an explanation for the patterns of geological activity on the Earth. This theory suggests that the Earths crust is divided into several rigid plates. These plates float on a layer of molten rock in the upper mantle. Convection currents within the mantle cause the plates to move.

Geological activity is common where the plates converge (meet) due to pressure build up in the mantle. For example, Earthquakes occur along plates boundaries when plates move. Mountains are formed when the plates push together. Volcanoes occur when the mantle melts near plate boundaries.

VOLCANOES A volcano is a hole on the Earths crust through which materials pass out. A volcanic eruption occurs when pressure builds up in the mantle and molten rock (magma) moves upward through a weakness in the crust.
Crat er Gases, ash, rocks

When a volcano erupts, the magma rushes out releasing lava, ash, rocks and gases such as steam, CO2 hydrogen sulphide. Vent Many volcanoes are active throughout the world, for example Mt Vesuvius (Italy), Mt St Helens (USA), White Island (NZ), Kilauea (Hawaii).

and

Lav a

Magm a

FOLDING AND FAULTING

Rock layers can push against each other, compressing and folding the land upwards into mountains. The Blue Mountains and the Himalayan Mountains were formed by folding. There are different types of folds but the most common are a syncline (a downfold) and an anticline (an upfold).

The earth may also crack under pressure. This is called faulting. There are many fault lines around the world, for example the San Andreas Fault in California. Sometimes rock layers will move along a fault line and may cause one layer to ride up, drop or tilt away from the other.

The Snowy Mountains and the Great Rift Valley of Africa were formed as a result of faulting.

EARTHQUAKES

An earthquake is a shockwave which passes through the earth. This wave of stored energy is released when extreme pressure within the earths crust causes rocks to break and move along a fault. The place inside the earth where the rocks cracked is called the focus. The epicentre is the point on the earths surface directly above the focus. Vibrations caused by the earthquake spread out in all directions. The damage is the greatest at the epicentre and it decreases as you go further away from the epicentre.

EARTHQUAKES WAVES There are 3 types of earthquake waves which are released during a tremor. They are P, S and L waves.

P (primary) waves are compression waves which travel very fast. S (secondary) waves are slower. L (surface) waves are very slow but cause the most damage.

DETECTING EARTHQUAKES

Seismographs detect the vibrations caused by earthquakes. The seismograph has a pen attached to a suspended heavy weight and a rotating drum attached to the base. During an earthquake the base shakes and the pen marks the vibrations on the paper.

Scientists use the Richter or the Mercalli scales to represent the strength of an earthquake. The Richter scale describes the magnitude of an earthquake based on the seismograph recording of the vibrations. The Mercalli scale measures the intensity of an earthquake by rating the effects on people and buildings on a scale from I to XII.

CYCLONES Cyclones are violent storms that occur over tropical areas.

They are low pressure systems with inward rotating winds around a central core known as the eye. Cyclones begin over the ocean where the surface temperature is above 26oC and lose their intensity as they move in-land. Hurricane and typhoon are terms used in the USA and Asia to describe cyclones which rotate anticlockwise.