Layers of the Earth

Front

What are the main layers of the Earth?

Back

The Earth is composed of three main layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core.

Front

What is the crust of the Earth?

Back

The crust is the outermost layer of the Earth, consisting of solid rock. It is divided into continental and oceanic crust.

Front

What is the difference between continental crust and oceanic crust?

Back

Continental crust is thicker, less dense, and primarily composed of granite, while oceanic crust is thinner, denser, and primarily composed of basalt.

Front

What is the mantle?

Back

The mantle is the layer beneath the crust, composed of semi-solid rock that flows slowly over time.

Front

What is the core of the Earth?

Back

The core is the innermost layer of the Earth, consisting of a solid inner core and a liquid outer core, primarily made of iron and nickel.

Front

What is the asthenosphere?

Back

The asthenosphere is a semi-fluid layer within the upper mantle that allows tectonic plates to move.

Front

What causes tectonic plates to move?

Back

Tectonic plates move due to convection currents in the mantle, which are caused by the heat from the Earth's core.

Front

What is a tectonic plate?

Back

A tectonic plate is a large slab of solid rock that makes up the Earth's lithosphere and floats on the semi-fluid asthenosphere.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

Subduction is the process where one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.

Front

What is a fault?

Back

A fault is a fracture in the Earth's crust along which movement has occurred.