Exercises: Structure and dynamics of the geosphere

The deepest mine in the world reaches a depth of barely $4\ \text{km}$, while the radius of the Earth is about $6\,370\ \text{km}$. Explain why almost everything we know about the Earth's interior comes from indirect methods, and give one example of a direct method and one of an indirect method.

Order the following layers of the geosphere from the surface to the center of the planet: inner core, mantle, outer core, crust. Then state which of them occupies the largest part of the Earth's volume.

Explain in your own words what the lithosphere is, which layers of the geosphere form it, and how it differs from the crust.

S-type seismic waves do not pass through the outer core, whereas P-waves do, although their speed is reduced. What does this fact tell us about the physical state of the outer core? Explain your reasoning.

Look at the diagram of the Earth's interior. Name the layers marked with numbers 1 to 4 and state one characteristic of each (physical state or composition).

Convection currents exist in the mantle: hot material rises and cold material sinks. Explain what causes these currents and how they relate to the movement of the lithosphere.