Earth&LifeSci Wk2 - 2. Earth's Internal Heat

THE EARTH’S INTERNAL
HEAT
SOURCES OF EARTH’S INTERNAL HEAT
1. PRIMORDIAL HEAT
-the internal heat energy that gradually gathered together by means of dispersion in the planet
during its few million years of evolution.
- generated during earth formation.
- Major contribution is ACCRETIONAL ENERGY - the energy deposited during the early
formation of a planet.
SOURCES OF EARTH’S INTERNAL HEAT
2. RADIOGENIC HEAT
-the thermal energy released as a result of spontaneous nuclear disintegration
-involves the disintegration of natural radioactive elements inside the earth – like uranium, thorium
and potassium.
-Uranium is a special kind of element because when it decays, heat (radiogenic) is produced.
-heat from the decay of radioactive elements.
TWO MAIN SOURCES OF EARTH’S INTERNAL
HEAT
1. Primordial heat- left over from the formation of the earth.

2. Radiogenic heat- produced by the radioactive decay of isotopes in the mantle and crust.
• the flow of heat from earth’s interior to the surface is estimated at 47 terawatts (TW),
• Without the process of radioactive decay, there would be fewer volcanoes and earthquakes – and
less formation of earth’s vast mountain ranges.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH
• Label the diagram below with the names of each layer. Include a brief description of each of the
earth’s layers
CRUST
MANTLE
CORE
• Identify the sources of internal heat by writing RH for radiogenic heat and PH for primordial
heat.
RH
____1. Presence of different isotopes of heat producing element in the mantle and
crust.
PH
____2.
PH Internal heat accumulated by dissipation of planet.
____3.
RH Release of accretional energy.
____4.
RH Processes involved in mantle convection.
____5. Release of thermal energy as a result of spontaneous nuclear disintegration.
HEAT TRANSFER
THREE PROCESSES CAN TRANSFER HEAT:

1. CONDUCTION
2. CONVECTION
3. RADIATION.
CONDUCTION
• The process by which heat energy is transmitted through collisions

between neighboring atoms or molecules.
• Conduction carries heat from the earth's core and radiation from the
sun to the earth's surface.
• When the atmosphere in normal temperature contacts with the warm
surfaces of the land, it transfer thermal energy, then it will heats up the
rest of the air through convection.
CONVECTION
• Is the transfer of heat by the movement of mass, and it is a more effective mode of
heat transport in the earth than pure conduction.
• Due to the tremendous temperature, the mantle acts like a viscous fluid. In convection
current, the mantle of the earth moves slowly because of transfer of heat from the
interior of the earth up to the surface.
• This results to the movement of tectonic plates. Hot materials are added at the edges of
a plate and then it cools. At those edges, it becomes dense by its exposure from the
heat and sinks into the earth at an ocean trench. This starts the formation of volcanoes.
RADIATION
• Is the least important mode of heat transport in the earth
• The process of heat exchange between the sun and the earth, through radiation, controls the
temperatures at the earth's surface.
• Inside the earth, radiation is significant only in the hottest parts of the core and the lower mantle.
When the land and water become warm in summer, it emits long – wavelength infrared radiation
that is readily absorbed by the atmosphere. This continues during night time too. Convection in
the air then spreads out the thermal energy throughout the atmosphere.
FILL ME UP
• Use the word bank to fill in the gaps in the passage below.
convection convection current crust Earth’s plates earthquakes

plate tectonics plates volcanoes
Crust
The surface layer of the earth is called the ___________________. This
Earth’s plates
layer is broken up into pieces called ___________________. These
plates
__________________ “float” on the mantle. Heat rising and falling
inside the mantle creates current called _____________________.
convection current The
___________________
convection current move the __________________.
plates This
movement is known as ___________________.
plate tectonics The movement of the
earth’s plate causes earthquakes and ___________________.
volcanoes
WHAT’S INSIDE THE EARTH’S MANTLE?
WHAT’S INSIDE THE EARTH’S MANTLE?

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THE EARTH’S INTERNAL

1. Primordial heat- left over from the formation of the earth.

THREE PROCESSES CAN TRANSFER HEAT:

• The process by which heat energy is transmitted through collisions

convection convection current crust Earth’s plates earthquakes

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