Earth's Internal Heat - Lecture

THE EARTH’S INTERNAL HEAT
KEY QUESTION:
WHERE DOES THE EARTH’S INTERNAL HEAT COME

FROM?
• HEAT ENERGY PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN OUR PLANET.
IT IS ONE OF THE EXTREME FACTORS IN WHAT MAKES
THE WORLD HABITABLE.
• HEAT IS A RESULT OF THE MOVEMENT OF TINY PARTICLES

CALLED ATOMS, MOLECULES OR IONS IN SOLIDS, LIQUIDS
AND GASES.
• The different geologic features of our
planets such as volcanoes, mountain
ranges, earthquakes, ridges trenches and
rifts valleys and more are indications of our
planet’s hot internal structure.
TWO SOURCES OF HEAT IN OUR
PLANET
PRIMORDIAL HEAT
- is the internal heat energy accumulated by dissipation

in our planet during its first few million years of evolution.
- ACCRETIONAL ENERGY
is the energy deposited during the early
formation of our planet.
TWO SOURCES OF HEAT IN OUR
PLANET
RADIOGENIC HEAT
- is the thermal energy released as a result of

spontaneous nuclear disintegration of natural radioactive
elements inside the Earth - like Uranium Thorium and
Potassium
-Uranium is a special kind of element because when it decays,

heat (radiogenic) is produced.
• Estimated at 47 terawatts (TW), the flow of
heat from Earth's interior to the surface and it comes from
two main sources in equal amounts: the radiogenic heat
produced by the radioactive decay of isotopes in the
mantle and crust, , and the primordial heat left over
from the formation of the Earth.
ACTIVITY 1: IDENTIFY THE SOURCES OF INTERNAL HEAT BY WRITING
RH FOR RADIOGENIC HEAT AND PH FOR PRIMORDIAL HEAT
1. Presence of different isotopes of heat producing

element in the mantle and crust.
2. Internal heat accumulated by dissipation of planet.
3. Release of accretional energy.
4. Processes involved in mantle convection.
5. Release of thermal energy as a result of spontaneous
nuclear disintegration.
SOURCES OF HEAT AND HEAT TRANSFER
Conduction
the process by which heat energy is transmitted through collisions

between neighboring atoms or molecules.
 governs the thermal conditions in almost entire solid portions of the

Earth and plays a very important role in the lithosphere.
Heat from the Earth's core and radiation from the Sun is
transferred to the surface of the Earth by conduction
Convection
dominates the thermal conditions in the zones where large quantities

of fluids (molten rocks) exist, and thus governs the heat transport in
the fluid outer core and the mantle.
Radiation
is the least important mode of heat transport in the Earth.
 The process of heat exchange between the Sun and the

Earth.
through radiation, controls the temperatures at the Earth's
surface.
Radiation ( continuation)
Inside the Earth, radiation is significant only in the hottest

parts of the core and the lower mantle.
When the land and water become warm in summer, they

emit long – wavelength infrared radiation that is readily
absorbed by the atmosphere. This continues during night
time too. Convection in the air then spreads out the thermal
energy throughout the atmosphere.
1. ___________in the interior of the earth can be classified as
primordial and radiogenic heat.

2. The thermal energy released as a result of spontaneous is called
Radiogenic Heat while the internal heat energy accumulated by
___________________ in a planet during its
few million years of evolution is called Primordial heat.

3. There are three processes can transfer heat ______________,
_________, and radiation.

4. ______________governs the thermal conditions in almost entire solid
portions of the Earth and plays a very important role in the lithosphere.

5. ________involves transfer of heat by the movement of mass, which is a
more efficient means of heat transport in the Earth compared to pure
conduction.
6. _____is the least important mode of heat transport in the Earth.
•
7. Convection current is relevant to the movement of ______
because the heat builds up pressure underneath the crust.
•
8. The of the core is transferred to the surface of the earth and the lower
levels of ocean by conduction.
•
9. Air molecules come in contact with the warmer surface of the land or
ocean, resulting to the increase of its _____.
•
• 10. The area where subduction occur is called_____________.

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THE EARTH’S INTERNAL HEAT

WHERE DOES THE EARTH’S INTERNAL HEAT COME

• HEAT IS A RESULT OF THE MOVEMENT OF TINY PARTICLES

- is the internal heat energy accumulated by dissipation

- is the thermal energy released as a result of

-Uranium is a special kind of element because when it decays,

1. Presence of different isotopes of heat producing

the process by which heat energy is transmitted through collisions

 governs the thermal conditions in almost entire solid portions of the

dominates the thermal conditions in the zones where large quantities

is the least important mode of heat transport in the Earth.

 The process of heat exchange between the Sun and the

Inside the Earth, radiation is significant only in the hottest

When the land and water become warm in summer, they

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