Theme1_EarthStructure

Big Bang

The event that marks the origin of the universe, theorized to have occurred approximately 13.8 billion years ago.

Solar Nebula Hypothesis

A theory explaining the formation of the solar system from a rotating disk of gas and dust.

Planetesimal

Small bodies from which planets form, created through the accretion of dust.

Crust

The outermost layer of the Earth, which includes continental and oceanic types.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, composed of the crust and the uppermost mantle.

Asthenosphere

The ductile layer beneath the lithosphere that allows for the movement of tectonic plates.

Moho Discontinuity

The boundary between the Earth's crust and the underlying mantle.

Gutenberg Discontinuity

The boundary between the Earth's mantle and the outer core.

Seismic Waves

Waves of energy that travel through the Earth, used by seismologists to study its internal structure.

Rheological Subdivisions

Classification of Earth's layers based on their mechanical properties, such as rigidity and plasticity.

Oceanic Crust

The part of the Earth's crust that underlies the oceans, typically younger and denser than continental crust.

Continental Crust

The part of the Earth's crust that forms the continents, generally older and thicker than oceanic crust.

Plate Tectonic Theory

A scientific theory that describes the large-scale movements of Earth's lithosphere.

Protoplanets

Large bodies formed from the accumulation of planetesimals, which eventually develop into planets.

Seismologists

Scientists who study seismic waves to understand the structure and behavior of the Earth's interior.

Mesosphere

The region of Earth's mantle located between the asthenosphere and the outer core.