Layers of the Earth

1. Layers of the Earth

2. What Are The Earth’s Layers ? • Inner Core • Outer Core • Mantle • Crust

3. Characteristics of The Inner Core • Solid ball due to high pressure (most dense layer) • 1540 miles across • 3700°C = VERY HOT! • Iron and nickel • Intense pressure keeps it • from liquefying

4. Characteristic of The Outer Core • Dense liquid molten rock • 1400 miles thick • Mainly iron and nickel • Some silicon • Between mantle and inner core • Gives Earth its magnetic field

5. Characteristics of The Mantle Parts are semi-molten (silly putty) 1800 miles thick Mantle rock is more dense than crustal rock Flows in sluggish currents Between crust and outer core

6. The Crust Earth’s outer rocky surface 4 miles thick under oceans Up to 40 miles thick under mountain ranges Consists of mostly “light” rocks (granite – below continents) (basalt – below oceans) Oceans cover 71% of the crust(oceanic crust is very dense) Continental crust is less dense

7. Oceanic and Continental Crust Note: the directions of movement

8. Tectonic Plates • Earth’s crust is broken into about 19 pieces • These plates move on top of the asthenosphere

9. Earth’s Layers Are Earth’s layers similar to a hard boiled egg?

10. The Yolk =core , inner & outer core Egg white =mantle The Shell =crust How Are Earth’s Layers Similar To a Hard Boiled Egg?

11. Other Physical Structures of the Earth’s Layers • Lithosphere- includes the crust and the upper most portion of the asthenosphere. This area glides over the rest of the upper mantle. Zone of earthquakes/volcanoes. • Asthenosphere- top layer of the upper mantle which consists of highly viscous rock that flows slowly (like hot asphalt)