Earth Science
“The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth.” Our Earth is a dynamic place! We will explore how the supposed solid rock we stand on is under tremendous forces that change and shape our planet every day.
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Topics:
Here's what we're doing. . .
We have begun our formal study of the Earth's layers, plate tectonics, and the history of discoveries. Mass, Volume & Density
Making Fault Blocks
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Resources:
Inside the Earth animations--use this link to explore p-waves, s-waves, and how knowing their behavior allowed scientists to infer composition and thickness of Earth's interior. Overview of Earth's Layers--this 6-minute video describes the thickness and composition of the layers of the Earth. Earth Dissection--this is a 2-minute video looks at the inside of the Earth. Layers of the Earth--this is a rap video covering all of Chapter 1 (with some misspellings), if you're into that kind of thing. . . Earth's Mass--This is a good explanation of how scientists calculated the mass of the Earth. We know the volume of it (4/3Πr3), so we can calculate its density from that. Seafloor Spreading Animations--the formation of pillow basalt. Explore the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean. Learn about the biology of organisms, history of exploration, and other facts about this unusual place. Fault Animations-There are several animations online. The IRIS site has 4 animations showing the 3 we've learned about. Rocks of Ages--this site gives a nice overview of how layering of rock helps to determine age of the Earth and when organisms came into being. Seismic Waves--view the differences between the movements of each. Purdue University explains and animates 4 of the kinds of waves produced by vibrations in the earth. EARTHQUAKES The USGS posts daily earthquakes of 4.5+ magnitude within 30 minutes of their occurrence. This site allows you to report an earthquake and is very click-a-able to find NC earthquakes. Magnitude scales and what they mean are here, and there are many more links on this Michigan Tech site if you are interested in exploring more about seismology. Direct vs. Indirect Evidence
Convection Current Model
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