GEO 1111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Mafic, Chemical Stability, Asthenosphere

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Geology
• Course: GEO 1111
• Professor: Mark Charette

Document Summary

Tectonics plates are a part of the lithosphere. The lithosphere is rock made up of elements. Asthenosphere and mesosphere are enrich rocked with elements of mg and fe. Naturally occurring, solid, definite chemical composition. (chemical formula) Element: form of matter cannot be broken down any farther. Atoms: smallest particles of an elements retains all elements chemical properties. Combination of elements to form crystals, some characteristics: abundance of elements within crust: mostly oxygen 45%. O, si, al, ca, na, fe, mg, k: temperature and time of formation, controls structural growth of crystal, polymorphs: same chemistry, different structure, size and charge of atoms and ions. Ionic: transfer of electrons. (loose or gain: covalent bonding (share electrons). Stronger than ionic: metallic, cloud of valance electrons free to migrate, weaker than ionic or covalent, metals are conductors, van der wall, weak electrostatic forces. The charge is factor of creating crystals, and ionic radius (distance from nuclei to outermost electron).