GEOG 170A1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Plate Tectonics, Scientific Method, Asthenosphere
9 Sep 2015
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Document Summary
Earth"s origin: 4. 6 billion years ago changed continuously. Plate tectonics, organic evolution, geologic or deep, time. Earth: complex system of interacting subsystems & components. Geology: includes study of earth, other planets, moons, and more. Physical geology: materials/processes that compose and operate on the surface within. Theory: explanation for national phenomenon, and part of the scientific method. Scientific method: gather and analyze facts, form hypothesis, test hypothesis, propose, test theory. Began with big bang (14 billion years ago) Solar nebula theory: huge rotating cloud of gas. Earth has continually changed during its existence as a result of interactions between various subsystems and cycles. Core: a larger liquid outer portion, a small solid inner portion, contains iron and nickel. Mantle: surrounds core, solid lower mantle, solid upper mantle, molten asthenosphere behaves plastically and flows slowly. Crust: relatively thin outer skin, comprises the lithosphere, consists of thin oceanic and thick continental crust.
