GEOL 1010 Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Richard Dixon Oldham, Outer Core, Wave Power
11 Nov 2018
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Document Summary
Mineral phase change is a change that occurs when a mineral is subjected to intense pressure. In this change, the structure of a mineral may become unstable, causing its atoms to rearrange into a denser and more stable structure. The increase in density of mantle rocks is due both to the compression of existing minerals and the formation of new high-pressure minerals. Seismic waves are large enough to go through the earth and come out the other side, making them very visible. They allow us to see into our planet. Seismic waves travel fastest when the rock is rigid. Seismic waves are reflected and refracted when traveling through the earth and do not travel in a straight line. Reflection is the redirection of some waves back to the surface when seismic waves hit a boundary between different earth materials. Refraction is the remaining wave energy that is bent. This is the path we normally see seismic waves take.
