Earth's Internal Structure: Discussion

Earth's core is composed of iron; the inner core is solid, while the ohter core is liquid. Earth's mantle is composed of rock (eg., basalt) and is in-between a solid and a liquid; it flows very slowly.

Convection carries heat toward the surface in the outer core and in the mantle. The resulting motion accounts for much of the activity of our planet.

  Internal structure of Earth
Earth's Interior [Views of the Solar System]

Question 4D.1

Convection in the outer core __________; convection in the mantle __________.

  1. causes continental drift; generates magnetic field
  2. generates magnetic field; causes continental drift
  3. triggers earthquakes; generates magnetic field
  4. creates hot-spot volcanos; heats Earth's surface
Joshua E. Barnes (
Last modified: September 18, 2006
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional