Which techniques can scientists use to determine the characteristics of Earth's layers? Select the two correct answers.(1 point)
Responses
study how seismic waves travel through different layers
study how seismic waves travel through different layers
conduct experiments about how minerals change under high pressure
conduct experiments about how minerals change under high pressure
use X-rays to obtain a view of Earth's interior layers
use X-rays to obtain a view of Earth's interior layers
drill deep mines to obtain samples from Earth's mantle and core
drill deep mines to obtain samples from Earth's mantle and core
examine the behavior of minerals at extremely low temperatures
examine the behavior of minerals at extremely low temperatures
The two techniques that scientists can use to determine the characteristics of Earth's layers are:
1. Study how seismic waves travel through different layers - Seismic waves are generated by earthquakes and other geologic processes. By analyzing how these waves propagate through the Earth and are refracted or reflected at boundaries between different layers, seismologists can infer the density, elasticity, and composition of those layers.
2. Conduct experiments about how minerals change under high pressure - By using high-pressure laboratory experiments, scientists can simulate the conditions of the Earth's deep interior. These experiments help them understand how minerals that make up the Earth's mantle and core might behave and change under the extreme pressure and temperature conditions found at depth.
The other options, such as using X-rays to view Earth's interior or drilling deep mines to obtain mantle and core samples, are not currently feasible; X-rays do not penetrate deep enough to image the Earth's interior, and drilling to the mantle or core is beyond our current technological capabilities (the deepest mines and boreholes only reach a few kilometers into the crust, while the mantle starts tens of kilometers deep). Studying minerals at extremely low temperatures is not directly related to understanding Earth's high-pressure, high-temperature interior.