Earth's Internal

Heat
 LEARNINING At the end of the lesson the
COMPETENCY learners will be able to:
describe where the Earth’s
internal heat comes from.
S11/12ES-Ib-14
 1. Describe the parts and function of
Earth’s interior.
2. Describe where the Earth’s internal
After going heat comes from.
through this 3. Identify the sources of Earth’s
module, you internal heat; namely, radiogenic heat
are expected to and primordial heat.
4. Describe the processes of heat
transfer in Earth’s mantle.
5. Identify the importance of Earth’s
internal heat
 Guide Questions:
1. What is the importance of Earth's internal heat?

2. What would happen without Earth's internal

heat?

3. How do you benefit from the Earth's internal

heat?
 We all believe that the sun is the primary source
of light and heat energy on Earth. But, do you
know that aside from the sun, one source of heat
energy is from the interior part of the Earth?

Heat energy plays a vital role in our planet. It is

Introduction one of the extreme factors in what makes the

world livable. If you think of a volcano, you
know Earth must be hot inside.

Our planet's internal heat shifts continents,

creates mountains, and produces earthquakes,
but where does all this heat inside the earth
originate?
3 Main Layers
Planet Earth
Crust
Continental
Oceanic
Mantle
 E=
Asthenosphere
Core
Iron and Nickle
 Crust
Describes the outermost
shell of a terrestrial planet.
Earth's crust is generally
divided two types,
•Continental crust
•Oceanic crust.
Continental crust is largely composed of Granite
(Quartz and Feldspar)

Oceanic crust is largely composed of Basalt

(Silicon and Oxygen)
 Mantle
• The Mantle is the largest layer of the earth
with estimated 1800 miles thick.
• The mantle has two main parts, the Upper
Mantle (Asthenosphere) Partially molten
part of the mantle and the Lower Mantle or
the Liquid Portion of the mantle. The upper
mantle is attached to the layer above it called
the crust.
• Mantle is composed of Iron (Fe) Magnesium
(Mg), Silicon (Si) and Oxygen (O)
 Core
• The Outer Core is composed of liquefied metals such
as nickel and iron. It is kept in it liquefied state because
of the immense heat in this layer.
• The Inner Core is also composed of metals however
they are not kept in a liquefied state. It is believed that
the temperature and pressure at depth is so great that
the metals are squeezed tightly together restricting
movement, so much that the particles have to vibrated
in place almost like a solid structure.
• Core is primarily composed of Iron (Fe) and Nickle
(Ni)
Sources of Heat in our Planet
Can be Identified in Two Main
Types:
Primordial
Radiogenic
Primordial Heat
Radiogenic Heat
 Primordial Heat
• During the early formation of the
Earth, the internal heat energy that
gradually gathered together by means
of dispersion in the planet during its few
million years of evolution .
• The major contribution of this internal
heat is the Accretional Energy
• Accretional Energy deposited during
the early formation of a planet.
• The core is a storage of primordial heat
that originates from times of accretion
when kinetic energy of colliding
particles was transformed into thermal
energy.
Radiogenic Heat
• The thermal energy released as a result
of spontaneous nuclear disintegration
• It involves the 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 Radiogenic Heat produced by
the radioactive decay of isotopes in
the mantle and crust,
• Radioactive elements exist
everywhere on earth in a fairly
significant concentration.
• Without the process of radioactive
decay, there would be fewer
volcanoes and earthquakes and less
formation of earth’s vast mountain
ranges.
 The Structure of the Earth
• Earth’s Layers Label the diagram below with the names of
each layer.
• Include a brief description of each of the Earth’s layers.
Activity 2: Which of which?
Identify the sources of internal heat by writing RH for radiogenic heat and PH for
primordial heat. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

____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.
 CRUST
OCEANIC CRUST
CONTINENTAL CRUST

MANTLE
ASTHENOSPHERE (UPPER MANTLE)
LIQUID PART (LOWER MANTLE)

CORE
IRON
NICKLE
Activity 2: Which of which?
Identify the sources of internal heat by writing RH for radiogenic heat and PH for
primordial heat. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

RH1. Presence of different isotopes of heat producing element in

the mantle and crust.
PH2. Internal heat accumulated by dissipation of planet.
PH3. Release of accretional energy.
RH4. Processes involved in mantle convection.
RH5. Release of thermal energy as a result of spontaneous nuclear
disintegration.
 Sources of Heat Transfer
• Both sources of heat whether Primordial or Radiogenic undergo
heat transfer and it plays an important role to the continuous
changes and development of our planet.
• In connection, another part of this module describes the heat
transfer in the Earth. Three processes can transfer heat:
Conduction
E=

Convection
 S=D
Radiation
 • Conduction processes
happen in the earth’s surface
and it directs the thermal
settings in almost entire
Conduction solid portions of the Earth
and plays a very important
role in the lithosphere.
• One of the three main ways
of heat transfer is
Conduction.
 • Technically, it can be defined as
the process by which heat energy
is transmitted through Collisions
Conduction between neighboring atoms or
molecules.
• Conduction carries heat from the
Earth's core and radiation from
the Sun to the Earth's surface.
• Geothermal Gradient is the
rate of increasing temperature
with respect to increasing depth
in the earth’s interior.
• Geothermal gradient depends
on the rate of heat production at
depth, the dynamics of the
system, and the conductivity of
rocks.
 • Convection is the transfer of heat
by the movement of mass, and it
is a more effective mode of heat
Convection transport in the Earth
• Convection dominates the
thermal conditions in zones with
significant amounts of molten
rocks and governs the heat
transport in the fluid outer core
and the mantle.
 Convection
• This results to the movement of
• tectonic plates. Hot materials are
added at the edges of a plate and then
it cools.
• This starts the formation of
volcanoes.
Radiation
• 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.
• When the land and water become
warm in summer, it emits long
wavelength infrared radiation that is
readily absorbed by the atmosphere.
• This continues during nighttime too.
 Importance
Of
Earth’s Internal Heat Flow
Importance of Earth’s Internal Heat Flow
1. Formation of surface Oceans and Surface
Continents caused by tectonic activities.
Because of convection in the earth’s mantle the
movement of tectonic plate creates new ocean and
continental crust which increase the biogeochemical
cycle that allow the earth’s surface to sustain the
optimal level of temperature to sustain life.
 2. Earth’s strong magnetic
field caused by the solid
Importance core
of Earth’s The importance of the
Internal magnetic field of the
earth is to shield us from
Heat Flow the cosmic radiation and
deadly charged particles
emitted by our Sun.
3. The internal heat of the Earth is
significant because it is this heat
that generates the gravity
required to maintain the
atmosphere, which keeps us alive.
4. Because heat is constantly
produced inside the earth,
Geothermal Energy is a
Renewable Energy Source.
 Generalization
• Primordial Heat.
• During the early formation of the Earth, the internal heat energy that
gradually gathered together by means of dispersion in the planet during
its few million years of evolution .

• Radiogenic Heat
• The thermal energy released as a result of spontaneous nuclear
disintegration
 Generalization
• Conduction
• Conduction processes happen in the earth’s surface and it directs the
thermal .
• Convection
• Convection is the transfer of heat by the movement of mass, and it is a
more effective mode of heat transport in the Earth
• Radiation
• Radiation is the least important mode of heat transport in the Earth.
 Generalization
Importance Of Earth’s Internal Heat Flow
• 1. Formation of surface Oceans and Surface Continents caused by tectonic activities.
Because of convection in the earth’s mantle the movement of tectonic plate creates
new ocean and continental crust which increase the biogeochemical cycle that allow
the earth’s surface to sustain the optimal level of temperature to sustain life.
2. Earth’s strong magnetic field caused by the solid core
The importance of the magnetic field of the earth is to shield us from the cosmic
radiation and deadly charged particles emitted by our Sun.
3. The internal heat of the Earth is significant because it is this heat that generates the
gravity required to maintain the atmosphere, which keeps us alive.
4. Because heat is constantly produced inside the earth, Geothermal Energy is a
Renewable Energy Source.
 Application
•Identify and shortly explain or describe
the sources of the Earth's internal heat
•Identify and shortly explain the three
Earth’s internal heat transfer
 •Give at least
Application 4 importance
of the earth's
internal heat
Evaluation
1. What process by which heat is directly
transmitted through a substance when there is
a difference of temperature or between
adjoining regions, without movement of the
material?
A. conduction
B. convection
C. insolation
D. radiation
2. Why radioactive decay plays a significant role
in Earth’s internal heat?
A. Spontaneous nuclear disintegration of
radioactive elements produced thermal energy.
B. Radioactive element can be found anywhere in
the planet.
C. When radioactive element decays, it produces
heat.
D. All of the above
3. Which of the following is described as the
process of heat exchange between the Sun and the
Earth that controls the temperatures of the latter?
A. Conduction
B. Convection
C. Insolation
D. Radiation
4. What is produced by the radioactive
decay of isotopes in the mantle and
crust?
A. Heat from the sun
B. Primordial heat
C. Radiogenic heat
D. Superheating
5. What kind of process by which heat
energy is transmitted through collisions
between neighboring atoms or
molecules?
A. Conduction
B. Convection
C. Insolation
D. Radiation
[Link] much is the approximate
terawatts in the flow of heat in Earth’s
interior to its surface?
A. 41 terawatts
B. 43 terawatts
C. 47 terawatts
D. 49 terawatts
[Link] of the following is the
outermost layer of the earth?
A. Core
B. Crust
C. Discontinuity
D. Mantle
8. What kind of heat transfer occurs
mostly on the earth’s surface?
A. Conduction
B. Convection
C. Insolation
D. Radiation
[Link] heat transfer of fluid in the earth’s
interior results to the movement of rocky
mantle up to the surface of the earth?
A. Conduction
B. Convection Current
C. Insolation
D. Radiation
10. What is geothermal gradient?
A. The transfer of energy from one place to
another
B. The movement of magma to the surface of
the earth.
C. The motion of hot material upward and
displaces cool material.
D. The increase in temperature with
increasing depth beneath the earth’s