What is the name of the Earth's outermost, 60-mile-thick, layer?
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Asthenosphere
Biosphere
Which of these is NOT one of the four spheres of Earth that are said to drive all its processes and support life on the planet?
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Geosphere
Atmosphere
If scientists can ONLY detect P waves in a certain layer of the Earth's interior, what does that tell us?
We know that the layer is the mantle.
We know that the layer is liquid.
We know that the layer is solid.
We know that the layer could be either liquid or solid.
Why can both P and S waves travel through the mantle?
Parts of the mantle are solid and other parts are liquid.
The mantle is a liquid.
The mantle is a solid.
The mantle is not very far below the Earth's surface.
Which of Earth's interior layers is liquid iron?
The inner core
None are liquid
The outer core
The mantle
How do we know that seismic waves have reached a new layer in the Earth's interior?
They get bounced back when they reach the mantle.
They travel all the way to the core before bouncing back.
Nothing happens, they simply travel through.
They change speed as they reach different layers.
What happens to P waves when they reach the outer core?
They slow down because it is solid.
They speed up because it is liquid.
They speed up because it is solid.
They slow down because it is liquid.
Which statement about the four spheres of Earth is true?
They occur in the same place, but do not interact.
Scientists think there are more than four spheres of Earth.
They describe distinct layers of Earth's interior.
They often occur in the same place and interact.
The interior of the Earth is part of which sphere?
The hydrosphere
The biosphere
The geosphere
The atmosphere
Which is NOT one of Earth's four spheres?
The troposphere
The biosphere
The geosphere
The hydrosphere
Why are plants and animals part of the biosphere?
Because they can travel in the air.
Because all living things are part of the biosphere.
Because they live on the ground.
Because they can migrate.
Why is rain not part of the atmosphere?
Because it is part of the geosphere.
Because it is part of the hydrosphere.
Because it moves between spheres.
Because it is part of the biosphere.
Which parts of the Earth are contained in the lithosphere?
The lower mantle and the crust.
Both the inner and outer core.
The outer core and lower mantle.
The upper mantle and the crust.
Why is the inner core solid?
Because it is under too much pressure to melt.
Because it consists mostly of silicon.
Because of plasticity.
Because it is very hot.
What is the cause of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains on Earth?
Sinking of the oceanic crust.
Convection currents in the crust.
Convection currents in the mantle.
Movements in the outer core.
How does the inner core differ from the outer core?
The inner core is made of iron the outer core is lithium
The inner core is very cold while the outer core is very hot
The inner core is characterized by plasticity.
The inner core is solid, while the outer core is liquid.
