Geology DEFINITION GEOLOGY Greek Earth The study of Geology = The study of Earth INNER CORE - HOT!!!! – Thought to be as hot as the surface of the Sun! - Solid - Composed of Iron and Nickel OUTER CORE • HOT! (but not as hot as the inner core) • Liquid • Composed of Iron and Nickel MANTLE • Still hot! – but not as hot as the core! • Largest layer • Composed of various materials • Solid and liquid CRUST • Cool • What we live on • Composed of rocks, various materials make up the crust • Solid or Liquid? Even though 70% of the Earth’s surface is water, there is crust under the water The water sits on top of the crust! -The Earth’s crust moves!!!!! -The continents have not always been arranged like they are today - The Earth’s crust is divided into segments called plates http://www.uwmc.uwc.edu/geography/101/p ananim.htm Pangaea • Supercontinent that existed 250 million years ago • All the land made up continent until its split into the modern day configuration of the continents • Discovered by Alfred Wegner in 1912, but not accepted by the public until after his death in the 1950’s