Question

The layer below Earth's crust is the mantle. In the mantle, at a depth of 300 km, the temperature is about 1800°C. Use this information to write the depth and temperature coordinates for a point in the mantle. Then find the slope of the line joining this point and the point at the bottom of the crust. Show your work.

Answer 1

A point in the mantle at a depth of 300 km has coordinates (300 km, 1800°C). To find the slope of the line joining this point and the point at the bottom of the crust, we need to determine the coordinates of the bottom of the crust first. Use the formula: slope = (change in temperature) / (change in depth) to calculate the slope.

Step-by-step explanation:

A point in the mantle at a depth of 300 km would have the coordinates (300 km, 1800°C). To find the slope of the line joining this point and the point at the bottom of the crust, we need to determine the coordinates of the bottom of the crust. According to the information provided, the bottom of the crust is at a depth of 5-6 km. Let's assume it's at a depth of 6 km for simplicity. Therefore, the coordinates of the bottom of the crust would be (6 km, temperature of the crust).

To find the slope, we can use the formula: slope = (change in temperature) / (change in depth). In this case, the change in temperature is 1800°C - temperature of the crust, and the change in depth is 300 km - 6 km. Plug in the values and calculate the slope.

Remember that this is a simplified calculation assuming a constant temperature gradient throughout the mantle and the crust.