Earth Layers

• The Earth is divided into four main

layers.

*Inner Core
*Outer Core
*Mantle
*Crust
 The Earth’s Layers
• Crust - The Earth's outermost surface
is called the crust. The crust is
relatively light and brittle. Most
earthquakes occur within the crust.
• Mantle - The mantle is relatively
flexible so it flows instead of
fracturing.
• Outer core – Fluid layer that contains
iron. When it flows it generates the
Earth’s magnetic field.
• Inner core – Solid innermost layer of
the Earth.
 Crust
Is made up of the
Crust and the
The crust is typically about 25
Moho. miles thick beneath
continents, and about 6.5
miles thick beneath oceans..
Most earthquakes occur
within the crust. The crust in
this image is much smaller in
the real earth!

s the dividing line between the

Crust and3the Mantle.
 The Crust
* The Earth’s crust is like
the skin of an apple. It
is very thin compared to
the other three layers.

*The crust makes up 1% of

the Earth.

* The crust of the Earth is

broken into many pieces
called plates.
 The Crust
• Outer layer
• 5-100 km thick
• 2 types of crust
– Oceanic (very dense,
made of basalt)
– Continental (less dense,
made of granite)
Oceanic and Continental Crust
 The Mantle
• The mantle is the
layer below the
crust.
• The mantle is the
largest layer of the
Earth.
• The mantle is
divided into two
regions: the upper
and lower sections.
 Mantle
Is the outer layer of the
mantle.
• The region just below
the crust and extending
all the way down to the
Earth's core is called the
mantle.
 The Mantle
• Middle layer
• Very thick layer
 The Core
• Made mostly of iron
• 1/3 of the earth’s mass
• Very hot
Core
• Beneath the mantle is
the Earth's core. The
Earth's core consists of
a fluid outer core and a
solid inner core.
Because the outer core
contains iron, when it
flows it generates a
magnetic field. This is
the source of the
Earth's magnetic field.
 Outer Core
* The core of the
Earth is like a ball
of very hot metals.

* The outer core is

liquid.

* The outer core is

made up of iron and
is very dense.
 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.
* The inner core is a
solid.