The Layers of
Earth
1
Inner Core
Outer Core
Mantle
Crust
2
Layers of the Earth
3
Inner Core
Solid,
innermost
layer of Earth
Hottest part of the
Earth (5000-7000oC
9000-13,000oF)
The inner core
experiences the
greatest amount of
pressure, so it’s
solid.
Dense and
comprised mostly of
iron and some nickel
1250 km thick
Density- 12.5 g/cm3
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Outer Core
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Beneath the mantle
Inner and Outer Core are
1/3 of the earth’s mass
fluid outer core made of
nickel and iron
outer boundary lies
approximately 2,890 km
beneath Earth’s surface
the iron in the outer core
generates Earth’s
magnetic field
2200-2300 km thick
4000-5000 o C
Density- 11.5 g/cm3
5
Mantle
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The region just below the crust
and extending all the way down
to the Earth's core
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is very hot
part melted and part solid
iron and magnesium
It is relatively flexible so it
flows instead of fracturing
2800 km thick- thickest
layer
1400oC – 3000oC- cooler
at the top of the layer and
gets hotter as it goes
deeper
Density- 4.5 g/cm3
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 is the outer layer of the
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mantle
solid rock that flows
slowly (like hot asphalt)
Lies between 100 and
200km below Earth’s
surface
Involved in plate
movement- lithospheric
plates “float” on it
Convection currents
circulate heat from the
core- heated “liquid”
rises and cooler
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“liquid” falls
Crust
Lithosphere
The crust in this
image is much
smaller in the
real earth!
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Continental crust- land
Oceanic crust- under water
Thinnest layer; density 3
g/cm3
The Earth's outermost layer
of the 4 main layers
The crust is typically about
30-40 km thick beneath
continents, and about 10
km thick beneath oceans.
made of soil, water and
rock
The crust is relatively light
and brittle.
Most earthquakes occur
within the crust.
Temperature 0oC – 400oC
Where volcanic magma
erupts
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Lithosphere
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Is made up of the Crust
and the uppermost part
of the mantle
rigid outer layer
Broken into 30 sections or
plates
Two types:

Oceanic lithosphere,
which is associated with
Oceanic Crust and exists
in the ocean basins
 Continental lithosphere,
which is associated with
Continental Crust
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Color and Label the layers of the
Earth.
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Answers
11
Questions
On a piece of paper answer the following
questions.
 The planet we call Earth has how many
main layers?
 What layer is farthest from where we
stand?
 Which layer has the highest temperature?
 Which layer has convection currents?
 Which layer is broken into plates?
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