There are 4 main layers that make up the earth: The crust The mantle The outer core The inner core

The Crust Top layer All that we can see and what we live on – mountains, oceans, lakes, plains, hills, beaches The crust of the Earth is made up of tectonic plates that cover the entire planet The tectonic plates float on top of the second layer of the earth – the mantle

Not a solid and not really liquid it is highly viscous The Mantle Not a solid and not really liquid it is highly viscous Think Silly Putty 84% of the Earth's mass, making it the thickest layer of the earth - 2900km thick 500 degrees Celsius at the crust and 4,000 degrees near the outer core.  That means that the coolest part of the mantle is more than five times hotter than boiling water.  OUCH!

The Outer Core About 35% of the Earth's mass 4440 degrees to 6100 degrees Celsius: as hot as the sun! Super heated liquid like molten lava Mostly iron and nickel. These liquid metals are thought to influence the Earth's magnetic field. The magnetic field is thought to be responsible for protecting our atmosphere from getting blown away by the Sun's solar wind!

The Inner Core Made up of the same metals as the outer core (iron and nickel) Is as hot as the outer core… But it is solid because of the pressure! Think about it...the deeper you go into the center of the earth, the more stuff is going to be pressing in on you. In the case of the inner core, you have 81% of the Earth's mass pressing in on you!

Igneous rocks can also form from lava above earth’s crust. Below earth’s surface are areas of melted rock called magma. When magma cools and hardens, igneous rocks form. Igneous rocks can also form from lava above earth’s crust. The texture of an igneous rock depends on how fast the magma cools to form the rock. The slower it takes to cool the more mineral grains will form. If it cools quickly, the rock will have a smoother, glassy texture. granite obsidian basalt

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks These layers are made of tiny pieces called sediments. Some sediments are formed from rocks or minerals. Others are bits of plants, shells, or other hard materials. Sedimentary rocks are formed from sediments that are pressed and cemented together. It can take millions of years for sediments to become rocks!

metamorphic Rocks Changed Rocks - Originally igneous or sedimentary rocks A metamorphic rock is a rock that is formed from other rocks by extreme heat and pressure. granite gneiss

Cycle The Rock