Layers of the Earth

Layers of the Earth

4 Main Layers

• Crust

• Mantle

• Outer Core

• Inner Core

Crust

Thinnest layer (5 – 70 km below surface)

◦Continental crust = thicker

◦Oceanic crust = thinner

Made up of solid rock

Multiple Choice

Which is thicker: continental crust or oceanic crust?

• Continental crust

• Oceanic Crust

Mantle

Made of three Parts & makes up 2/3 of the Earth:

1. Lithosphere – Very top of mantle AND the crust, made up of solid rock, broken into plates

2. Asthenosphere – below lithosphere, “soft” solid rock, “plastic-like” (able to flow SLOWLY)

3. Mesosphere (Lower Mantle) – solid rock

Multiple Choice

Which is thicker, the crust or the mantle?

• Crust

• Mantle

Multiple Select

The two parts of the upper mantle are called what? *CHOOSE TWO**

• Asthenosphere

• Mesosphere

• Lithosphere

• Ionosphere

Multiple Choice

The Lithosphere is broken into large chunks known as:

• Lithosphere-Asthenosphere boundary

• Tectonic plates

• Niches

Outer Core

Liquid metal (nickel and iron)

Responsible for Earth's magnetic field

2300 kilometers thick

Inner Core

Solid metal (nickel and iron) due to intense pressure

The inner core has the highest temperature and pressure of all the layers

Multiple Choice

The portion of the mantle that is a "soft solid" and flows slowly is the

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

• Lower Mantle

Multiple Choice

Which is the only liquid layer of the Earth?

• Crust

• Mantle

• Outer core

• Inner core

Multiple Choice

The layer of the mantle that is a soft solid and moves slowly is known as

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

• Lower mantle

Convection and the Mantle

Heat Source – Core

Heated rock from the bottom of the asthenosphere rises up towards the crust

Cooler rock near the crust is more dense, and is pulled back into the mantle towards the core

Convection in the Mantle

Convection currents in Earth’s mantle cause the mantle to slowly move, carrying the plates above it along with it in different directions.

Open Ended

Convection currents in the mantle cause the tectonic plates to move slowly. What do you think happens when the plates move?

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the Earth do we live on?

• Crust

• Mantle

• Outer core

• Inner core

Multiple Choice

Which layer has the highest temperature and pressure?

• Crust

• Mantle

• Outer core

• Inner core

Multiple Select

What two metals are the inner and outer core made from? *CHOOSE TWO*

• Copper

• Nickel

• Steel

• Iron