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