Unit 6 Earth's Layers

6.5 (B) recognize that a limited number of the many known elements comprise the largest portion of solid Earth, living matter, oceans, and the atmosphere

(10) Earth and space. The student understands the structure of Earth, the rock cycle, and plate tectonics. The student is expected to:

(A) build a model to illustrate the compositional and mechanical layers of Earth, including the inner core, outer core, mantle, crust, asthenosphere, and lithosphere;

(B) classify rocks as metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary by the processes of their formation;

Unit 6: Earth’s Materials

6.5 (B) a limited number of elements comprise the largest portion of solid Earth and atmosphere

6.10 (A) build a model to illustrate the compositional and mechanical layers of Earth, including the inner core, outer core, mantle, crust, asthenosphere, and lithosphere

Think About It….

What are the main parts of a
boiled egg?

How do you think the layers of the
egg connect to the layers of the
Earth?

Think About It….

What are the main parts of a
boiled egg?
- Shell, Egg Whites, the Yolk

How do you think the layers of the
egg connect to the layers of the
Earth?

What is the Earth made of?

●Earth is composed of three compositional
layers: Crust, Mantle, Core

○Compositional Layers: structural layers of the
Earth defined by the materials from which
they are made

●Earth is composed of five compositional
layers: Lithosphere, Asthenosphere,
Mesosphere, Outer Core, and Inner Core

○Mechanical layers: structural layers of Earth
defined on the basis of how materials act

●Each layer of the Earth is made up of different elements

○The solid portion of Earth is made of mostly Oxygen (O) and Silicon (Si)

○The atmosphere is made mostly of Nitrogen (N) and Oxygen (O)

●Each layer of the Earth has a different density and temperature

Mesosphere
Crust

Multiple Select

Select the 3 compositional layers of the Earth.

• Mantle

• Crust

• Rocks

• Core

We will focus on four main
layers….

A - Inner Core

B - Outer Core

C - Mantle

D - Crust

How would we
label this cross
section of the
Earth below?

​A

B

C

D

Multiple Choice

What layer is above the outer core?

• Inner Core

• Crust

• Mantle

• Nothing

Crust

●The outermost layer of the Earth

●Two types of crust: continental and
oceanic

●Thinnest Layer

●Solid Layer

●Life exists on this layer

●Composed of mainly oxygen (O),
silicon (Si), and aluminum (Al)

Multiple Choice

Which is NOT true about the Crust?

• It is the outermost layer of the Earth

• It is the thickest layer

• Life exists on this layer

• It is a solid layer

Mantle

●Between the outer core and the crust

●Thickest layer

●Semi-solid: having the qualities of
both a solid and a liquid;
exceptionally thick substance
○Like jello or oobleck

●About 500 to 4,000 degrees Celsius

●Composed of mainly magnesium (Mg)
and iron (Fe)

Multiple Choice

The mantle is a ______: which is having the qualities of both a solid and a liquid; exceptionally thick substance.

• Solid

• Semi-solid

• Liquid

• Gas

Outer Core

●Surrounds the inner core

●Liquid metal

●Composed of molten (liquid) iron
(Fe) and nickel (Ni)

●Temperature ranges from 4,000 to
5,000 degrees Celsius

Multiple Select

What 2 metals is the molten in the outer core made up of?

• iron (Fe)

• nickel (Ni)

• hydrogen (H)

• helium (He)

Inner Core

●Inner most layer of the Earth

●Solid because of extreme pressure

●Composed mostly of iron (Fe)

●Hottest layer; about 6000 degrees
Celsius

Multiple Choice

About how hot is the Inner Core?

• 5,000 degrees Celsius

• 6,000 degrees Celsius

• 600 degrees Celsius

• 1,000,000 degrees Celsius

The other layers…

●Lithosphere: the solid, rigid outer layer of
the Earth consisting of the crust and the
solid portion of the upper mantle

●Asthenosphere: the somewhat fluid
portion of the mantle upon which the
lithosphere is located

●Mesosphere: the region of the mantle
beneath the lithosphere and
asthenosphere, but above the outer core

Draw

Label the 4 main layers of the Earth with the following letters:

A- Inner Core

B- Outer Core

C- Mantle

D- Crust

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RKoLleyDJ4

Sources

The Science Duo

TEKS Resource System

https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Honolulu_Community_College/CHEM_100%3
A_Chemistry_and_Society/14%3A_Earth/14.01%3A_Spaceship_Earth-_Structure
_and_Composition