Geology
Geology is the study of planet Earth, including its composition and structure and the people who study it are called geologist. Constructive forces shape the surface by building up mountains and other land areas. Deconstruction forces slowly wear mountains. Modern science of geology began in 1700s. James Hutton a Scottish physician, realized that Earth’s surface had changed overtime. Uniformitarianism is the idea that the geological process that operate today and also in the past. mountains and canyons are the result of geologic process.
Earth's Structure
Earth can be divided into 3 main layers-the crust, mantle, and core-based on the materials that make up each layer. Temperature and pressure in Earth’s interior increases with depth, also the materials inside the earth changes.
Crust
The rocky outer layer of the Earth is the crust which is thin compared to other layer. The Crust is made up of silicates, rock made out of silicon and oxygen and contains metal like aluminum, iron, or calcium. There are 2 types of crust Continental and Oceanic. Continental crust makeup continents, contains less dense rocks like granite and it is about 40 km thick. Oceanic crust makeup ocean floors, composed of dense rocks like basalt and it is about 7km thick.
Mantle
mantle is a thick layer of hot but solid rock and it extends to about 2850 km. Mantle is composed of silicates and contains rich iron and magnesium. Mantle is divided into 3 layers based on the physical properties of rocks. Lithosphere is layer of cool, rigid rock that includes the uppermost part of mantle and crust and it is about 100 km thick. Asthenosphere is a layer of softer, weaker rocks that flows slowly. Mesosphere is under the asthenosphere and it is a stronger lower part of mantle and it extends down to the surface of the core.
Core
Core is a large sphere of metal that occupies Earth’s center. The core is thought to be made out of mostly iron and less amount of nickel and lighter element. At the center the pressure is estimated to be 3.6billion times more than the earth's surface and the temperature to be 5500 degrees. Core is divided into 2 parts, the outer core and inner core. The outer core has a high temperature to keep metal liquid and the Earth’s rotation creates earth’s magnetic field by flowing of iron. The inner core is high pressure and it is a solid.
Crust
The rocky outer layer of the Earth is the crust which is thin compared to other layer. The Crust is made up of silicates, rock made out of silicon and oxygen and contains metal like aluminum, iron, or calcium. There are 2 types of crust Continental and Oceanic. Continental crust makeup continents, contains less dense rocks like granite and it is about 40 km thick. Oceanic crust makeup ocean floors, composed of dense rocks like basalt and it is about 7km thick.
Mantle
mantle is a thick layer of hot but solid rock and it extends to about 2850 km. Mantle is composed of silicates and contains rich iron and magnesium. Mantle is divided into 3 layers based on the physical properties of rocks. Lithosphere is layer of cool, rigid rock that includes the uppermost part of mantle and crust and it is about 100 km thick. Asthenosphere is a layer of softer, weaker rocks that flows slowly. Mesosphere is under the asthenosphere and it is a stronger lower part of mantle and it extends down to the surface of the core.
Core
Core is a large sphere of metal that occupies Earth’s center. The core is thought to be made out of mostly iron and less amount of nickel and lighter element. At the center the pressure is estimated to be 3.6billion times more than the earth's surface and the temperature to be 5500 degrees. Core is divided into 2 parts, the outer core and inner core. The outer core has a high temperature to keep metal liquid and the Earth’s rotation creates earth’s magnetic field by flowing of iron. The inner core is high pressure and it is a solid.