Earth Geology
Geology is the study of Earth's structure, composition, and the processes that shape it. Earth's interior consists of the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core, and the movement of tectonic plates drives geological events.
What You Need to Know
Key Concept Diagram
Earth's structure from outside to inside: crust, mantle, outer core (liquid), inner core (solid)
Tectonic plates are large pieces of Earth's crust that move slowly on the mantle's convection currents
Plate boundaries cause earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation
The rock cycle describes how rocks change between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic types over time
Key Vocabulary
Crust
The thin, outermost layer of Earth, consisting of the continental and oceanic crust
Tectonic plate
One of the large sections of Earth's crust and upper mantle that move slowly over time
Earthquake
A sudden shaking of the ground caused by the movement of tectonic plates
Rock cycle
The ongoing process by which rocks are formed, changed, and reformed through geological processes
Knowledge Check
Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.
Question 1
In what order do Earth's layers appear from the surface to the centre?
Question 2
What causes tectonic plates to move?
Question 3
What type of rock forms when magma cools and solidifies?
Key Concepts Summary
- ●Earth's structure from outside to inside: crust, mantle, outer core (liquid), inner core (solid)
- ●Tectonic plates are large pieces of Earth's crust that move slowly on the mantle's convection currents
- ●Plate boundaries cause earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation
- ●The rock cycle describes how rocks change between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic types over time