EOSC 114 Chapter Notes - Chapter module 2: Oceanic Crust, Continental Crust, Outer Core

• School: UBC
• Department: Earth and Ocean Sciences
• Course: EOSC 114
• Professor: Brett Gilley

Document Summary

Earthquakes: why and how the earth moves. Outer core is super hot (very high pressure) and exists as a liquid. Inner core is hotter and at a higher pressure and exists as a solid. The crust and upper mantle together are known as the lithosphere. The upper layer of the mantle below the lithosphere is termed as the asthenosphere. It is hotter (almost melting but still solid) and is very ductile. The lower mantle is termed as the mesosphere. It is hotter (but still solid due to high pressure) and is sti but ductile. The tectonic plates are part of the lithosphere. Unifying theory of plate tectonics- (initially proposed by wegner) Fundamental process that controls how our planet looks and functions. Direct cause of many hazards. e. g. earthquakes , tsunamis and volcanoes. Responsible for topographic features. e. g. continents, mountain belts, chains of islands, ocean basins and trenches. Almost all earthquakes take place near plate boundaries.