EARTHSC 1105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Mount Rainier National Park, Volcanic Arc, Mantle Convection

• School: Ohio State University
• Department: Earth Sciences
• Course: EARTHSC 1105
• Professor: Christena Cox

Document Summary

Five big ideas in science: model of the atom - physics, periodic law- sorting of the elements- chemistry, big bang theory astronomy, theory of evolution biology, theory of plate tectonics - geology. < 2%, 1220 km (762 miles) (total radius of earth = 6400 km or 4000 mi). A paradigm shift in the way we view how earth works. Before plate tectonics the features of earth"s surface were explained by the theory that. Earth was shrinking making the features on the surface analogous to the wrinkles on a dried up apple. Plate tectonics unifies all of geology and explains the formation and location of volcanoes, earthquakes, ocean basins, mountains, other surface features, the ages of rocks, as well as the patterns of plant and animal evolution. Continental crust -average composition of granite. crust: ~ 35 km thick relatively low density (lighter 2. 65 g/cm3) Oceanic crust - average composition of basalt. crust: ~10 km thick higher density (heavier 3. 2 g/cm3)