Final answer:
The dominant form of heat transfer in the crust is conduction, which occurs through direct contact between particles. This is supported by the composition of the crust being primarily solid rock and the relatively slow and uniform temperature changes observed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The dominant form of heat transfer in the crust is conduction. Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact between particles of a substance, such as solids. In the crust, heat is transferred from hotter regions to cooler regions through the vibration and collisions of atoms and molecules.
One piece of evidence to support this prediction is the fact that the crust is primarily composed of solid rock. Solids are better conductors of heat compared to liquids or gases because the particles are closely packed together, allowing for efficient transfer of heat. This suggests that conduction is the dominant form of heat transfer in the crust.
Another evidence that supports this prediction is the slow rate at which the crust undergoes heating and cooling. If heat were transferred mainly through convection (the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids), the crust would experience more rapid and localized heating and cooling due to the movement of molten rock in the mantle. However, observations show that the crust experiences relatively slow and uniform temperature changes, indicating that heat transfer through conduction is dominant.
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