Kimberly Eve T.

Catalonia 2/23/2022
BSCE-2

Compositional Layer

The Mechanical and/or Chemical Properties of Crust

It is the outmost and thinnest layer of the earth.

It is formed from the uppermost layer which is known as SIAL, that composed
mainly of silicon and aluminum, and the bottom layer of crust which is known
as SIMA, that made mostly from silicon and aluminum.
It is rocky and rigid.
Divided into two major parts:
▪ Continental crust
- It is 8–70 km deep and is mostly made up of igneous rock
known as granite. It's thicker and primarily felsic, which implies
it's made up of minerals with a higher silica content. The
difference in composition is significant because continental
crust is less dense than oceanic crust.

▪ Oceanic crust
- It is 5-8 km deep and mainly made of basalt. It has a thinner
texture and is primarily composed of mafic minerals. Mafic rocks
have less silica than silica-containing rocks, but they have more
iron and magnesium. The mafic rocks of the oceanic crust are
denser than the felsic rocks of the continental crust.
 How were scientists able to
determine these properties? What
were the evidences that helped
them arrive to their conclusions?

According to research, scientists investigate

how seismic waves travel through the Earth to
learn about the layers deep under the Earth's
crust. If there is an earthquake, seismographs
at multiple sites will record it. Scientists can
learn about the density and other properties of
the layers by looking at the timing of the arrival
of the main set of waves, as well as how the
waves' frequencies are organized within the set.
The relative differences in arrival times of the S
and P seismic waves at various recording
stations tell scientists about the different
speeds at which those waves were traveling,
which in turn tells scientists about the density
of the material the layer is made of, as well as
how thick the layer is in several directions.

Seismic Waves
through the Earth’s
layer
 SEARCHING….

There is clear evidence of

several layers in the earth that
both refract the waves and
have varying velocities
underneath them. For example,
you are holding a book under
your desk, and your classmate
gently taps the other end of the
desk. Then you place your ear
on the top of the desk and listen
closely to the sound. If you
press a large book on the
bottom of the desktop, you'll
notice that the sound changes.
Why is this layer important? Explain why we are
never gonna ever survive without this layer.

The crust is a narrow but crucial zone where

dry, heated rock from deep under the Earth
combines with surface water and oxygen to
form new minerals and rocks. Plate tectonic
activity also mixes and scrambles these new
rocks, injecting chemically active fluids into
the process. Finally, the crust is home to life,
which has a significant impact on rock
chemistry and its own mineral recycling
mechanisms. From metal ores to deep strata
of clay and stone, the crust is home to all of
geology's fascinating and useful diversity.

We cannot exist without crust because it contains

various components that are economically useful
to humans. It gives organisms a place to live by
providing them with a place to call home. It also
offers water, which is essential for living things'
survival. Humans value the earth's crust not only
because they live on it, but also because of the
socioeconomic advantages it provides. Agriculture
and other industries exist to teach us how to
survive on our own.