Journey to the Center of the Earth

Journey to the Center of the Earth

​Looking at Earth's Insides

Earth's Insides

Tectonic plates are part of Earth's crust, which is the outer layer that has cooled off and solidified into rock. However, everything underneath is still molten and basically boiling!

The churning motion from all of that boiling heat inside the Earth pushes around the tectonic plates.

Multiple Choice

True or False: Tectonic plates are part of Earth's crust.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What causes the movement of tectonic plates?

• The cooling and solidification of Earth's crust

• The churning convection motion from the molten interior of the Earth

• The heat energy from the sun

​Compositional vs. Mechanical
what they're composed of vs. how they move

The Compositional Layers

• Crust: Igneous rock
  Continental & Oceanic
  5-70 km thick
  outermost layer
  
  

• Mantle: Silicates
  2900 km thick
  Middle layer
  
  

• Core: Iron & Nickel
  1200 km radius
  Innermost layer

​Introducing... Earth's Crust

​Earth's crust is the thinnest, least dense layer - that's why it's on the outside - gravity didn't pull it as deep!

Earth's Crust

• Tectonic plates are part of Earth's crust.

• The lithosphere is what carries the crust,
  while the asthenosphere moves it.

• Earth's crust is about 50 kilometers thick, on average.

​The subduction of an oceanic plate under a continental plate can potentially cause earthquakes, mountains, and tsunamis.

​Subduction at Convergent Boundaries

Kola Superdeep Borehole

Kola Superdeep Borehole is the deepest man-made hole on Earth, reaching a depth of 7.5 miles. It was drilled by the Soviet Union in the 1970s to study the Earth's crust. The project was abandoned due to extreme heat and technical challenges.

Multiple Choice

What would be the thickest part of Earth's crust?

• The Himalayas

• The Pacific Ocean

• The Sahara

• CoreKola Superdeep Borehole

Earth's Mantle

The layer responsible for moving tectonic plates. It lies between the crust and the core. The mantle is composed of solid rock that flows slowly over time, causing the movement of tectonic plates. The mantle is about 2900 kilometers thick, which is more than 50 times thicker than the crust.

Earth's Core

The innermost layer of the Earth. It is extremely hot, and is made mostly of iron and nickel, which churn and swirl to create magnetic currents that generate Earth's magnetic field.

​Earth's Core & the Magnetosphere

​The churning hot metals in Earth's core create a magnetic field.

​The magnetic field around Earth - our magnetosphere - protects us from radiation!

Volcanoes and Earthquakes

Seismic activity, such as volcanoes and earthquakes, are caused by the movement of tectonic plates. When these plates collide or separate, it creates intense pressure and heat, leading to volcanic eruptions and seismic activities.











Volcanoes can release ash, gases, and lava, while earthquakes can cause shaking and ground displacement. Both can have significant impacts on the environment and human populations.

​These layers are grouped
based on how they move.

There are 5:

1. Lithosphere
2. Asthenosphere
3. Mesosphere
4. Outer Core
5. Inner Core

​The Mechanical Layers

​Lithosphere & Asthenosphere

​Lithosphere

Asthenosphere


Mesosphere

Key Terms:

• Lithospheric Crust: The outermost layer of the Earth's surface, consisting of solid rock.

• Magma and Lava: Magma is molten rock trapped inside the Earth, while lava is magma that has been released onto the surface.

• Volcanoes and Earthquakes: The intense heat and movement beneath the crust cause volcanic eruptions and seismic activities.

• Convection currents - hot material rising, cooling off, then sinking again creates currents of moving material inside the Earth

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the Earth moves the tectonic plates?

• Crust

• Mantle

• Core

• Trench

Multiple Choice

Which layer creates Earth's magnetic field?

• Crust

• Mantle

• Core

Multiple Choice

Which layer is made of cooled solid rock?

• Crust

• Mantle

• Core

Multiple Choice

Which compositional layer is in the middle?

• Crust

• Mantle

• Core

Multiple Choice

Which mechanical layer is in the middle?

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

• Mesosphere

• Outer Core

• Inner Core

Multiple Choice

Which mechanical layer is part of the crust?

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

• Mesosphere

• Outer Core

• Inner Core

Multiple Choice

Which mechanical layer is made of moving molten metal?

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

• Mesosphere

• Outer Core

• Inner Core