CAS AS 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Surface 3, Continental Crust, Subduction

• School: Boston University
• Department: Astronomy
• Course: CAS AS 100
• Professor: Michael Mendillo

Document Summary

9. 1 planetary geology: the study of any solid world. Most geological features are shaped by what happens deep beneath the surface. Seismic waves: vibrations that travel both through the interior and along the surface after an earthquake. These tells us a lot about what"s inside earth and even the moon. Core: the highest-density material consisting primarily of metals such as nickel and iron. Mantle: rocky material of moderate density, mostly minerals that contain silicon, oxygen, and other elements. Crust: the lowest density rock, such as granite and basalt. Earth has both a solid inner core and a liquid outer core. Differentiation: gravity pulls denser water to the bottom driving the less dense oil to the top. This tells us that all terrestrial worlds at one point underwent differentiation and must"ve been hot enough inside for their interior rock and metal to melt.