Earth’s Interior
Geology
• The study of planet Earth.
• Study of…
– The forces that make and shape
planet Earth.
– The chemical and physical
characteristics of rock.
– The processes that create Earth’s
features and search for clues
about Earth’s history.
3 Layers of the Earth’s Interior
• Crust
• Mantle
• Core
Crust
• Layer of rock that forms Earth’s
outer skin.
• 2 Types of Crust
– Oceanic crust
• Crust beneath the ocean.
• Made of basalt
– Dark, dense rock with a fine texture
– Continental crust
• Crust that forms continents
• Made of granite
– Rock that has larger crystals than
basalt, not as dense
Mantle
• Layer of hot rock below
the crust.
• Temperature and
pressure in the mantle
increase with depth.
• Lithosphere
– Consists of the crust and
the uppermost part of
mantle.
• Asthenosphere
– Layer below the
lithosphere that is soft
– Mantle below is solid
Core
• Inner layer made of
metals iron and
nickel.
• 2 Layers
– Outer core
• Layer of molten metal
that surrounds the
inner core.
– Inner core
• Dense ball of solid
metal
Earth’s Magnetic Field
• Currents in the liquid
outer core force the
solid inner core to spin
at a slightly faster rate
than the spinning of the
whole Earth.
• Earth’s magnetic field
– Caused by the core
movement
– Causes the planet to act
like a giant bar magnet
Earth’s Interior
Outer core
Core
Earth
is divided into
is divided into
Inner core
Mantle
Crust
Summary Questions
• What are the layers that make up
Earth? Write a sentence about each
one.
• What happens in Earth’s interior to
produce Earth’s magnetic field?
Describe the layers of the interior where
the magnetic field is produced.
• What are some of the differences and
similarities between the mantle and the
core? Explain.