The Layers The Layers of the of the EarthEarth

The Four LayersThe Four Layers The Earth is The Earth is

composed of composed of four different four different layers. Many layers. Many geologists geologists believe that as believe that as the Earth the Earth cooled, the cooled, the heavier, heavier, denser denser materials sank materials sank to the center to the center and the lighter and the lighter materials rose materials rose to the top. to the top. Because of Because of this, the crust this, the crust is made of the is made of the lightest lightest materials materials (rock- basalts (rock- basalts and granites) and granites) and the core and the core consists of consists of heavy metals heavy metals (nickel and (nickel and iron).iron).

The The crustcrust is is the layer that the layer that you live on, you live on, and it is the and it is the most widely most widely studied and studied and understood. understood.

The The mantlemantle is is much hotter much hotter and has the and has the ability to flow. ability to flow.

The The Outer Outer and Inner and Inner CoresCores are are hotter still hotter still with pressures with pressures so great that so great that you would be you would be squeezed into squeezed into a ball smaller a ball smaller than a marble than a marble if you were if you were able to go to able to go to the center of the center of the Earth!!!!!! the Earth!!!!!!

The CrustThe Crust The Earth's Crust is like the The Earth's Crust is like the

shell of an egg. It is very shell of an egg. It is very thin in comparison to the thin in comparison to the other three layers. The crust other three layers. The crust is composed of two basic is composed of two basic rock types, granite and rock types, granite and basalt. basalt.

The crust is only about 3-5 The crust is only about 3-5 miles thick under the oceans miles thick under the oceans and about 25 miles thick and about 25 miles thick under the continents. The under the continents. The temperatures of the crust temperatures of the crust vary from air temperature vary from air temperature on top to about 1600 on top to about 1600 degrees Fahrenheit in the degrees Fahrenheit in the deepest parts of the crust. deepest parts of the crust.

You can bake a loaf of bread You can bake a loaf of bread in your oven at 350 degrees in your oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, at 1600 degrees Fahrenheit, at 1600 degrees F. rocks begin to melt.F. rocks begin to melt.

Is made up of the Crust and upper part of the mantle. The hard surface of the Earth

More About the CrustMore About the Crust

The crust of the Earth is broken into The crust of the Earth is broken into many pieces called plates. The plates many pieces called plates. The plates "float" on the soft, plastic mantle which "float" on the soft, plastic mantle which is located below the crust. These plates is located below the crust. These plates usually move along smoothly but usually move along smoothly but sometimes they stick and build up sometimes they stick and build up pressure. The pressure builds and the pressure. The pressure builds and the rock bends until it snaps. When this rock bends until it snaps. When this occurs an Earthquake is the result! occurs an Earthquake is the result!

The MantleThe MantleThe mantle is the largest layer of the Earth, 1,800 miles thick. The mantle is composed of very hot, dense rock. It is made of oxygen, silicon, and magnesium. This layer of rock even flows like asphalt under a heavy weight. This flow is due to great temperature differences from the bottom to the top of the mantle. The average temperature is 2800 degrees F.

The movement of the mantle is the reason that the plates of the Earth move!

is the outer layer of the mantle.

The Outer CoreThe Outer Core The core of the Earth is like a ball of very hot metals. The outer core is so hot (9,000 degrees F) that the metals in it are all in the liquid state. The outer core is located about 1800 miles beneath the crust and is about 1400 miles thick. It is composed of the melted metals nickel and iron.

The Inner CoreThe Inner Core

The inner core of the Earth has temperatures and pressures so great that the metals are squeezed together and are not able to move about like a liquid, but are forced to vibrate in place as a solid.

It is about 4000 miles beneath the crust and is about 800 miles thick and the temperatures may reach 9000 degrees F.

One More LookOne More Look

Features of the Earth’s Crust, Mantle and Core

On the Crust section answer the following:•Define crust. •Describe a time when you interacted with the Earth’s crust.•What are the main elements that make up the Earth’s crust?•Describe the thickness of the crust.•What are the two types of crust? What are they mainly composed (made) of?•Color the crust Green.

On the Mantle section answer the following:•Define mantle.•What are the main types of rock that compose the crust?•Label the three layers of the mantle properly on the foldable.•Describe the Lithosphere.•Describe the Asthenosphere•Describe the Mesosphere•On your model separate the mantle into 3 sections. Color the Lithosphere blue, the asthenosphere brown, and the Mesosphere yellow. •Also label them with the correct name.

On the Core section answer the following:•Define core.•What metals is the core mostly made of?•What is the thickness of the outer and inner core?•Describe the outer core.•Describe the inner core.•Color the outer core orange•Color the inner core red