Earth's geothermal gradient is the rate of temperature change incurred by
A) increasing altitude in the atmosphere.
B) increasing depth at ocean trenches.
C) traversing from either pole toward the equator.
D) traversing down into the Earth's interior.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The geothermal gradient is the rate of increase in temperature with increasing depth into the Earth's interior. As one travels deeper into the Earth, temperature increases at an average rate of approximately 25-30°C per kilometer due to the heat generated by decay of radioactive isotopes and residual heat from the Earth's formation.

Earth's Geothermal Gradient Is the Rate of Temperature Change Incurred