1. Earth’s Structure

2. The Layers of the Earth
Crust
Mantle
Core
(Inner and Outer)

3. Physical Structure of the Earth (5 Layers)
Lithosphere- (2 parts)
rigid outer layer (crust)
upper part of mantle
Asthenosphere-
semi-solid rock that flows slowly (like hot asphalt) upper mantle
Mantle - middle and largest layer
Outer Core- liquid layer
Inner Core- solid, very dense, hottest layer

4. Crust and Lithosphere Coolest Outermost layer 5-100 km thick
Mostly O and Si
2 types of crust
Oceanic (very dense, and thin)
Continental (less dense, but thick)

5. Oceanic and Continental Crust

6. The crust is composed of two rocks
The crust is composed of two rocks. The continental crust is mostly granite. The oceanic crust is basalt. Basalt is much denser than the granite. Because of this the less dense continents ride on the denser oceanic plates.

7. Granite

8. Basalt

9. Basalt at bottom of Pacific Ocean

10. Mantle and Asthenosphere
Middle layer
Thickest layer
(about 2,900 km)
Mostly Fe and Mg
Asthenosphere is a semi-solid that can melt rock. It has plasticity-can flow
like a liquid.
At least 2,800 °C

11. The Mantle
The Mantle is the largest layer of the Earth. The middle mantle is composed of very hot dense rock that flows like asphalt under a heavy weight. The movement of the middle mantle (asthenosphere) is the reason that the crustal plates of the Earth move.

12. The Outer Core
The core of the Earth is like a ball of very hot metals. The outer core is so hot that the metals in it are all in the liquid state. The outer core is composed of the melted metals of nickel and iron.

13. Outer Core Mostly molten Iron (Fe) and Nickle ( Ni) Very hot
About 2,200 km thick

14. Inner Core Solid mostly Iron (Fe) Most dense material of all layers
Extremely hot
(up to 6,000 °C)
About 1,250 km thick

15. Earth’s Layers How are the earth’s layers similar to an egg?
Shell=crust
Egg white=mantle
Yolk=core

16. The 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 like a solid.