Earth's Layers

​Earth's Layers

By Katie Kelley

Crust
​ Earth's crust is thinner than other layers. It is not very dense, and it has different thicknesses that range from 5-70 km. On the surface, the temperature is normal air temperature, but it gets hotter as you dig, reaching up to more than 800 degrees Celsius. The crust is the layer with the lowest pressure. By the time you reach the bottom of the crust, the pressure is strong enough to break glass.

• Depth: 5–70 km

• Composition: Rock

• Temperature: 0–800°C

• Other characteristic: contains            tectonic plates

Mantle
The mantle is made of very hot, mostly solid rock. The mantle is Earth's thickest layer. As you go down through the mantle, the temperature and pressure continue to increase. The pressure in this layer is high enough to form diamonds.

• Depth: 2,890 km

• Composition: Solid rock

• Temperature: 500–4,000°C

• Other characteristic: provides magma to volcanoes

Outer Core
The outer core is made of metal.

Because the temperature is so high, the metal is melted into a liquid. The pressure in the outer core is higher than what you would feel from the most powerful explosion on Earth's surface.

• Depth: 2,260 km

• Composition: Iron and nickel

• Temperature: 4,000–5,500°C

• Other characteristic: Responsible for Earth's magnetic field

Inner Core
Earth's inner core is made of solid metal. Why? All of Earth's layers squeeze down on the inner core. The incredibly high pressure presses the material of the inner core into a solid state.

• Depth: 1,220 km

• Composition:Iron and nickel

• Temperature: 5,000–6000°C

• Other characteristic: Highest pressure/density

Categorize

Options (10)

Outermost layer

Thickness of 5-70 km

Contains the tectonic plates

Thickest layer

Provides magma for volcanoes

Made of mostly solid iron and nickel

Made of liquid iron and nickel

Responsible for Earth's magnetic field

Center of the Earth

Under the most pressure

Match each characteristic with the correct layer of the Earth.

Crust

Mantle

Outer Core

Inner Core

Labeling

Match the layer names and characteristics.

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Highest Pressure

Crust

Liquid

Lowest Temperature

Thickest Layer

Outer Core

Mantle

Inner Core

Multiple Choice

Which of Earth's layers is made up of liquid metal?

• A. crust

• B. inner core

• C. mantle

• D. outer core

Dropdown

Compared to the other layers, the crust has the ​

Select answer

temperature and is the ​

Select answer

layer.

Multiple Choice

How does temperature change as you move from the crust to the core?

• it gets cooler
• it gets hotter
• it stays the same
• the core is frozen

Reorder

What is the correct order (starting from the surface) of Earth's layers?

• crust

• mantle

• outer core

• inner core

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4