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