Final answer:
The student requested definitions for key terms related to Earth's structure, which include the layers of Earth such as the atmosphere, core, crust, mantle, and lithosphere, as well as concepts like fossils and the hydrosphere.
Step-by-step explanation:
Definitions of Terms Related to Earth's Structure
Here are the definitions of the terms related to Earth's structure that you asked about:
- Atmosphere: The gaseous envelope of air surrounding Earth, composed primarily of nitrogen, oxygen, and small amounts of other gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor.
- Fossil: The remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock.
- Core: The central part of the Earth below the mantle, which is divided into an outer core composed of molten metal and an inner core made of solid metal.
- Crust: The outermost layer of Earth, consisting of oceanic and continental crust made up of rocks such as basalt and granite.
- Mantle: The part of the Earth's interior between the crust and the core comprising a silicate rocky shell nearly 3,000 kilometers thick.
- Hydrosphere: All the water on Earth's surface, such as lakes, seas, and the water in the atmosphere.
- Lithosphere: The rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle that is divided into tectonic plates.
Each term is essential to the study of Earth's physical structure and processes such as plate tectonics, the formation of various rock types, and the effects of life on Earth's atmosphere.