MEA 200 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Continental Crust, San Andreas Fault, Oceanic Crust
30 Mar 2017
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Explain the leading theories for the formation of the universe, the solar system and earth. Earth formed from the accumulation of dust and gas, and collisions of smaller planetary bodies. Driven by gravity, earth"s dense metallic core formed as iron sank to the center of the planet. Less dense rocks slowly cooled to form outer layers of earth"s crust and mantle. Earth interior is still losing heat from the formation process but most of the heat is generated by radioactive decay of elements. This heat flows through earth"s interior largely by convection. Lithosphere = crust + uppermost mantle = tectonic plate. Asthenosphere = layer in upper mantle (hot and weak; mostly solid) Lithosphere tectonic plates that float on ductile asthenosphere. Large-scale geologic features occur at plate boundaries. Two major tectonic forces - slab pull, slab suction. The plates are composed of continental crust, oceanic crust, or both. Tectonic plates - the crust (where we live)
