Passage V

Heat flow is the escape of Earth's interior heat through the lithosphere (crust and upper mantle combined). For a given thickness, high heat flow indicates a rapid temperature increase with depth. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of oceanic and continental lithospheres.

Figure 2 shows heat flow, in watts per square meter (W/m2), for parts of the oceanic lithosphere and the average heat flows for both lithosphere types.

Figures adapted from Frank Press and Raymond Siever, Earth. ©1986 by W. H. Freeman and Co.

Figure 3 shows the average relationship between temperature and depth for both lithosphere types. The shaded areas are where lithosphere material would melt with and without water.

29. If scientists measured how temperature changes with depth in different parts of the oceanic lithosphere, according to Figure 2, which of the following sets of temperature-depth plots would you predict?

Answer and Explanation

Your Answer is

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

From figure 2, it can be seen that in places with relatively shallow depths such as ocean ridge and volcanic island, the heat flow is large, which means that the temperature in these places is high;

places such as plain, trench, and basin The depth is relatively large and the heat flow is small, which means that the temperature in these places is low. So option B meets