AST101H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Volcanic Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro, Impact Crater

• School: UTSG
• Department: Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Course: AST101H1
• Professor: Michael Reid

Document Summary

Seismic waves are vibrations that travel both through the interior and along the surface after an earthquake. The highest-density material, consisting primarily of metals such as nickel and iron, resides in the central core. Rocky material of moderate density mostly minerals that contain silicon, oxygen, and other elements= forms the thick mantle that surrounds the core. The lowest-density rock, such as granite and basalt (a common form of volcanic rock), forms the thin crust, essentially representing the world"s outer skin. Differentiation: gravity pulls the highest density to the bottom, driving the less dense to the top. Giant impact blasted away mercury"s outer rocky layers while leaving its core intact could explain why the core is so large compared to the rest of the planet. The moon"s small core by assuming it formed from debris blasted out of earth"s rock outer layers.