CACHERO, RONEL E.

Prof. Villamor

Written Report

NASC 2173

Written Report
Lithosphere
Earths Interior
o Earths interior consists of three major zones. Each is defined by its chemical
composition:
o Crust
o Where we live solid rock
o Thin rocky outer layer
o Divided into two types:
o Continental
o 8-75 km thick (avg. 40 km) thick!
o Consists of mostly granitic rocks (less dense than
basalt rocks)
o Oceanic
o Roughly 7 km thick
o Consists of mostly basalt rocks (more denser than
granitic rocks)
o Mantle
o 82% of earths volume
o Solid, rocky shell that sometimes acts like a liquid, plastic-like
flows
o Extends to a depth of 2890 km
o Core
o Composed of Iron-Nickel alloy
o Similar in composition to metallic meteorites
o Temperature 5000-7000 degrees Celsius
Lithosphere
The lithosphere is the solid outer section of Earth, which includes Earth's crust (the
"skin" of rock on the outer layer of planet Earth), as well as the underlying cool,
dense, and rigid upper part of the upper mantle. The lithosphere extends from the
surface of Earth to a depth of about 4462 mi (70100 km).
Mohorovicic Discontinuity (Moho)
--Named after Andrija Mohorovicic of Croatia
--Separates the crust from the underlying mantle
--Boundaries between crust and the upper mantle
--Earthquake waves increase its velocity when they reach this layer
*Red line represents the mohorovicic discontinuity
Tectonic Plates and Plate Boundaries
The Earths outer shell, the lithosphere, consisting of the crust and uppermost
mantle, is divided into a patchwork of large tectonic plates that move slowly
relatively to each other. There are 7-8 major plates and many minor plates. Varying
between 0 to 100mm per year, the movement of a plate is driven by convection in
the underlying hot and viscous mantle.

CACHERO, RONEL E.
Prof. Villamor

Written Report

NASC 2173

Earthquakes, volcanic activity, mountain-building, and oceanic trench formation

occur along plate boundaries in zones that may be anything from a few kilometres
to a few hundred kilometres wide.

There are three main types of plate boundaries:

1. Convergent boundaries: where two plates are colliding.
Subduction zones occur when one or both of the tectonic plates are composed of
oceanic crust. The denser plate is subducted underneath the less dense plate. The
plate being forced under is eventually melted and destroyed.
i. Where oceanic crust meets ocean crust
Island arcs and oceanic trenches occur when both of the plates are made of oceanic
crust. Zones of active seafloor spreading can also occur behind the island arc,
known as back-arc basins. These are often associated with submarine volcanoes.
ii. Where oceanic crust meets continental crust
The denser oceanic plate is subducted, often forming a mountain range on the
continent. The Andes is an example of this type of collision.
iii. Where continental crust meets continental crust
Both continental crusts are too light to subduct so a continent-continent collision
occurs, creating especially large mountain ranges. The most spectacular example of
this is the Himalayas.

2. Divergent boundaries where two plates are moving apart.

The space created can also fill with new crustal material sourced from molten
magma that forms below. Divergent boundaries can form within continents but will
eventually open up and become ocean basins.
i. On land
Divergent boundaries within continents initially produce rifts, which produce rift
valleys.
ii. Under the sea
The most active divergent plate boundaries are between oceanic plates and are
often called mid-oceanic ridges.

3. Transform boundaries where plates slide passed each other.

CACHERO, RONEL E.
Prof. Villamor

Written Report

NASC 2173

The relative motion of the plates is horizontal. They can occur underwater or on
land, and crust is neither destroyed nor created.
Because of friction, the plates cannot simply glide past each other. Rather, stress
builds up in both plates and when it exceeds the threshold of the rocks, the energy
is released causing earthquakes.