Discussion 9 – Chapter 8

The Questions

1. The crust is composed of how approximately this many Elements ____, Minerals ____ and rocks _____. What are the five most common elements in our crust?
2. Define bedrock, sediments, soil and tephra.
3. What is the difference between Magma and Lava? Which tends to cool faster?  Which types of rocks do they form when they solidify?
4. What’s the deepest we’ve drilled into the Earth and what’s the deepest mine we’ve ever dug into the Earth? So where do we get most knowledge of the different zones inside the planet?
5. What are the main differences between P-Waves and S-Waves? Can they travel through all the same layers of the earth? What is an S-Wave Shadow Zone?
6. What are the 2 main types of Crust, how thick are they, and what is the main rock type making up each of them?
7. What is the Uppermost Mantle? Is it solid, liquid or plastic? What’s it made of? How far is it below earth’s surface?
8. What is the Asthenosphere? Is it solid, liquid or plastic? What’s it made of? How far is it below earth’s surface?
9. What is the Deep Mantle? Is it solid, liquid or plastic? What’s it made of? How far is it below earth’s surface?
10. What is the Outer Core? Is it solid, liquid or plastic? What’s it made of? How far is it below earth’s surface?
11. What is the Inner Core? Is it solid, liquid or plastic? What’s it made of? How far is it below earth’s surface?
12. What are the 2 major groups of Igneous rock types? How do they form? Give some specific examples of each.
13. How does Silica content influence the viscosity or ‘stickiness’ of magma and the type of igneous rock type that will form from it? Which igneous intrusiverock type has very high silica content?  Which igneous extrusiverock with high silica content?  How does Silica content determine if lava will result in an effusive or explosive eruption?
14. What is lithification? What largely determines the type of sedimentary rock that will form?  Give some examples.
15. How are marble, quartzite, schist and gneiss formed? Which was formed under the most extreme pressure and temperature?
16. What are Weathering, Erosion and Mass Wasting?