What is the structure of the Earth? What better place to begin our
exploration of the Solar System then with the best-studied planet, the
Earth. This lecture discusses the interior structure of the Earth,
introducing the idea of differentiation, how geologists map the interior
of the Earth using seismic waves, and the origin of the Earth's magnetic
field. We then discuss the crust of the Earth, which is divided into 16
tectonic plates, and explore how plate motions driven by convection in
the upper mantle have shaped the visible surface of our planet over its
dynamic history. Recorded 2006 Oct 31 in 100 Stillman Hall on the
Columbus campus of The Ohio State University.