SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL CORE SUBJECT

EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCES

Grade 11

CONTENT ENDOGENIC PROCESSES

CONTENT STANDARDS The learners demonstrate an understanding of the geologic processes that occur within the
Earth. The learners shall be able to make a simple map showing places where erosion and
landslides may pose risks in the community.
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS The learners shall be able to conduct a survey to assess the possible geologic / hydro
meteorological hazards that your community may experience.

MOST ESSENTIAL At the end of the lesson, the learners …

LEARNING COMPETENCIES 1. Describe where the Earth’s internal heat comes from.
2. Describe how magma is formed (magmatism)

DATE Week 6

MATERIALS Laptop / Smartphone; TIFTCI LMS (Learning Management System)

(1) Carlson, D. H., Plummer, C. C., &Hammersley L.(2011). Physical Geology: Earth
RESOURCES Revealed(9thed., pp. 46-47). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
(2) Heat and convection in the Earth. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/EarthSci/people/lidunka/GEOL2014/Geophysics8%20-
%20Thermal%20evolution/Heat.htm
(3) Kirkland, K. (2010.)Earth Sciences: Notable Research and Discoveries(pp. 18-21). New York,
NY: Facts on File, Inc.
(4) Marshak, S. (2013).Essentials of Geology(4th ed., pp. 99-100).New York, NY: W. W. Norton,
Inc.
(5) Merck, John. (n.d.). The rock cycle and igneous rocks I (online lecture). Retrieved from
fromhttp://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/geol100/lectures/10.html
(6) Polanco, L. J. (2010, March 22). Hot chocolate mantle convection demonstration [Video
file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdWYBAOqHrk
(7) Tarbuck, E. J., Lutgens, F. K., Tsujita, J. C., & Hicock, S. R. (2014). Earth An Introduction to
Physical Geology(pp. 134-136). Ontario, Canada: Pearson Education Canada
LESSON OUTLINE:

1. Introduction
2. Motivation – Class Participation
3. Instruction – Lecture
4. Practice - Chocolate Mantle Convection
5. Enrichment
6. Evaluation

PROCEDURE MEETING THE LEARNERS’ NEEDS

INTRODUCTION:

1. Introduce the following learning objectives:

a. Identify the sources of the Earth’s internal heat and describe the different processes
responsible for the transfer of heat.
b. I can explain the different conditions required in the generation of magma.

2. Review
a. The different layers of the Earth
b. The rock cycle and the definition of magma

MOTIVATION: Teachers Tip:

Make sure to differentiate between magma
1. Show the learners a video of a piece of igneous rock. and lava.
Ask the learners and answer the following:
a. How is an igneous rock formed? Remind the learners of the internal structure
b. If magma is defined as molten rock material, do you need to melt rocks to form magma? of the Earth. Temperature increases with
c. Is temperature increase solely responsible for the melting of rocks? depth. Shouldn't all of the Earth's interior be
d. Where and how is magma formed? molten?

INSTRUCTION:

HEAT IN THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH

1. Two categories of the internal heat sources of the Earth:

(http://www.ucl.ac.uk/EarthSci/people/lidunka/GEOL2014/Geophysics8%20-
 %20Thermal%20evolution/Heat.htm).
a. Primordial heat: heat from accretion and bombardment of the Earth during the early stages

of formation. If you hit a hammer on hard surface several times, the metal in the hammer
will heat up (kinetic energy is transformed into heat energy).
b. Radioactive heat (the heat generated by long-term radioactive decay): its main sources are
the four long-lived isotopes (large half-life), namely K 40, Th232, U235 and U238 that made a
continuing heat source over geologic time.

2. The estimated internal temperature of the Earth (Carlson, D. H. et al, Physical Geology Earth
Revealed, 2011, p 47 and http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/geol100/lectures/10.html)
a. The mantle and asthenosphere are considerably hotter than the lithosphere, and the core
is much hotter than the mantle.
b. Core-mantle boundary: 3,700°C
c. Inner-core – outer-core boundary: 6,300°C±800°C
d. Earth’s center: 6,400°C±600°C

3. Redistribution of the Earth’s heat:

a. Simultaneous conduction, convection and radiation
b. Convection occurs at the mantle, but not between the core and mantle, or even between
the asthenosphere and lithosphere (except at sea-floor spreading zones).The only heat
transfer mechanism in these transition zones is through conduction.
Diagram illustrating how heat is transferred in the Earth’s interior. Teachers Tip:
4. The concept of convection can be explained by comparing it to coffee preparation (based on
the examples sourced from http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/geol100/lectures/10.html)
a. Mechanisms that occur when boiling water:
i. There is a heat source at the bottom of the water.
ii. The heat rises to the top from the bottom, causing the surface water to become hot. It
radiates its heat into the air and then cools.
iii. The cooler water sinks into the space vacated by the ascending warmer water. This
cooler water starts to warm up, while the water that rises starts to cool.
iv. The process continues, forming a top-to-bottom circulation of water.
b. Observations after pouring in the coffee (while the water is still hot):
i. The top portion has a relatively lighter color, compared to the lower zone. This represents
the top of a convection cell.
ii. Condensing water vapor marks the top of rising columns of warm water. The dark line
separating them marks the location of sinking cooler water. Show the learner a video about Convection
cell – the unit of a convective circulation.

MAGMA FORMATION
1. The special conditions required for the formation of magma:
a. Crust and mantle are almost entirely solid, indicating that magma only forms in special
places where pre-existing solid rocks undergo melting.
b. Melting due to decrease in pressure (decompression melting): The decrease in pressure
affecting a hot mantle rock at a constant temperature permits melting forming magma. This
process of hot mantle rock rising to shallower depths in the Earth occurs in mantle plumes,
beneath rifts and beneath mid-ocean ridges.
c. Melting as a result of the addition of volatiles (flux melting): When volatiles mix with hot,
dry rock, the volatile decreases the rock’s melting point and they help break the chemical
bonds in the rock to allow melting.
d. Melting resulting from heat transfer from rising magma (heat transfer melting): A rising
magma from the mantle brings heat with it that can melt the surrounding rocks at the
shallower depths.

PRACTICE:

1. ACTIVITY: Chocolate Mantle Convection

a. Show the video “Hot Chocolate Mantle Convection Demonstration.” :
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdWYBAOqHrk).
b. Objective: To illustrate how heat works in the mantle.

2. QUESTIONS

a. How is heat transferred in the activity? Give evidence for your answer.
Answer: Convection is shown by the presence of mounds and cracks in between the mounds.
Radiation is illustrated by the emitted gas directly above the heat source. Conduction is
evidenced by the submerging chocolate powder along the rims of the pan.

b. Describe what happens to the powder when the water starts to boil. Explain why this
occurs.
Answer: The chocolate powder starts to rise, forming a conical shape then cracks and emits
gas. Slowly, the chocolate powder around it starts to subside and get wet. The heat source is
directly beneath this zone so the hotter water is rising in that area. But since the chocolate
powder traps the water, the hot water starts to move laterally under the chocolate powder,
forming the conical shape, before it manages to create a crater where the water is released as

gas.

3. How does this relate to the formation of magma?

Answer: The water represents the asthenosphere, the chocolate powder represents the
lithosphere and the candles represent heat sources. Magma is formed directly above the heat
sources due to relatively higher temperature. Through convection, heat is transferred to
other places. And since there are several heat sources, several convection cells develop.
Where the colder portions of two convection cells meet, cracks form because the materials
are being pulled downwards by the subsiding colder water. These zones represent subduction

zones.

ENRICHMENT:

Assignment: A Word document and jpeg file report will be submitted:

Draw a schematic of a cross section of the earth, showing the different layers of the earth.
Include and label (when necessary) the following parts of the illustration:
1. Different tectonic settings where magma is generated
2. The type of melting that is usually associated with the settings identified in # 1
3. Heat transfer mechanisms and the direction of heat transfer (through arrows)
Further research — Below the drawing, note the different zones where magma is formed, and
cite one known location of each.
EVALUATION:

Summary Questions:

[Easy]
1. What are the two primary sources of the Earth's internal heat?
Answer: Primordial heat and radioactive heat.
2. Cite three tectonic settings where magma is formed.
Answer: mid-oceanic ridges, hot spots and subduction zones
3. What is the role of volatiles in the partial melting of rocks?
Answer: Volatiles help break the chemical bond in rocks, and at the same time, lower the
melting temperature of rocks.

[Difficult]
1. What is decompression melting?
Answer: Decompression melting is occurs by reducing the pressure at a constant temperature.
2. How is the Earth's internal heat redistributed?
Answer: Magma transfers the heat from the Earth’s interior to the surface when it rises.
3. Describe how rising magma causes melting.
Answer: Rising magma from the mantle brings heat with it which can melt the surrounding rocks
at the shallower depths.