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Flashcards in The Earth's Structure Deck (6)
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1
Q

What are the four parts to the earths structure?

A

Crust
Mantle
Outer core
Inner core

2
Q

What is the crust?

A

The bit we live on
Very thin (between 5-50km thick)
Surrounded by the atmosphere

3
Q

What is the mantle?

A

It has all the properties of a solid except it can flow very slowly

Radioactive decay takes place which produces a lot of heat and causes the mantle to flow in convection currents

4
Q

What is the core?

A

At the centre of of the earth

Thought to be made up of iron and nickel

5
Q

Why do plates not stay in one place?

A

Convection currents in the mantle cause them to drift

Volcanoes and earthquakes often occur at the boundaries between tectonic plates

6
Q

Can scientists predict earthquakes and volcanic eruptions?

A

No there are signs like strain in underground rocks and bulges on the surface but these can be false alarms and do not give a precise day