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Chapter 1 Suggested time allotment 3 hours

MODULE

7 The Internal Structure of Earth

INTRODUCTION
In Module 3, we discuss partly the layers of the
Earth in our attempt to understand the earth’s four
subsystems.
Earth is composed of four main layers, starting
with an inner core at the planet's center, enveloped by
the outer core, mantle and crust. The inner core is a
solid sphere made of iron and nickel metals about
1,221 kilometers in radius. There the temperature is as
high as 5,400 degrees Celsius.
Surrounding the inner core is the outer core.
This layer is about 2,300 kilometers thick, made of
iron and nickel fluids. In between the outer core and Figure 1. Structure of Earth
crust is the mantle, the thickest layer. This hot, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_of_Earth)
viscous mixture of molten rock is about 2,900
kilometers thick and has the consistency of caramel. The outermost layer, Earth's crust, goes about 30 kilometers deep
on average on land. At the bottom of the ocean, the crust is thinner and extends about 5 kilometers from the sea floor
to the top of the mantle.
In this module, you should be able to identify and differentiate the layers of the Earth.

At the end of Module 7, you are expected to answer the key question below:

What are the different layers of the Earth?

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Describe the Earth’s interior (in terms of crust, mantle, core); and
2. Compare the Earth’s layers.

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Let us determine how much you already know about the different layers of the Earth.
Take the test below.

Pre-Test
Multiple Choice
Select the correct letter.
1. This is the hottest and densest layer of the Earth. C. The temperature in the outer core is lower
A. outer core than the temperature in the inner core.
B. mantle D. The temperature in the outer core is higher
C. crust than the temperature in the inner core.
D. inner core
2. What material makes up the mantle? 7. Which of the following layers generate the Earth's
A. magma magnetic field?
B. iron I. outer core
C. nickel II. inner core
D. basalt III. crust
3. What causes the mantle to flow? IV. mantle
A. induction A. I only
B. convection B. I and II
C. radiation C. II and III
D. intention D. I and III
4. What are the thickest and thinnest layers of the
earth, respectively? 8. Which of the following metals are found in the
A. mantle, crust core?
B. mantle, outer core I. iron
C. crust, mantle II. nickel
D. inner core, mantle III. lead
5. Which of the following is the correct order of the IV. magnesium
layers of the Earth from the center of the Earth to A. I only
the outside. B. II only
A. inner core> outer core> mantle> crust C. I and II
B. inner core> outer core> crust > mantle D. All of the above
C. outer core> inner core> crust> mantle
D. outer core> inner core> mantle> crust 9. What is the main difference between the
asthenosphere and the lithosphere?
6. Why is the inner core solid, but the outer core
A. behavior of the rock
liquid, if both regions have very high
B. temperature of both layers
temperatures? C. depth from the surface of the Earth
A. The pressure in the outer core is lower than D. materials that make both layers
the pressure in the inner core.
B. The pressure in the outer core is higher than 10. Which of the following statements is not true?
the pressure in the inner core.

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A. The crust and the upper part of the mantle D. The crust is the thickest layer making up 84%
make up the lithosphere, a zone of rigid, of the Earth's volume.
brittle rock.
B. The outer core is liquid that is composed
primarily of iron and nickel.
C. The crust is the solid outer layer of the Earth
that is composed of the continental and the
oceanic crusts.

Glossary of Terms
Let’s learn about it!

List of important terms that you should familiarize and remember:

Asthenosphere – layer of weak, ductile rock in the mantle; situated below the lithosphere
Convection – transfer of heat by mass movement or circulation of a substance
Core – innermost layer of the earth; outer core is in a liquid state whereas inner core is in solid state
Crust – thin, outermost layer of the Earth; is of two different types: continental crust and oceanic crust
Lithosphere – rigid outer layer of the layer which is made up of the brittle crust and upper mantle
Mantle – middle layer of the earth between the crust and the core; makes up about 83% of Earth’s interior
Moho – boundary separating the crust and the mantle
Plate tectonics – theory which proposes that the earth’s crust and upper mantle to be composed of several large,
thin, and relatively rigid plates that move relative to one another
Seismic wave – an elastic shock wave that travels outward in all directions from an earthquake source

Reading Resources and Instructional Activities

Activity 1: Labelling

• Use the following words below to

label the illustration on the layers
of the Earth at the right side. Use
only numbers for your
convenience.
1. mantle 7. solid
2. outer core 8. liquid
3. inner core
4. crust
5. core
6. lithosphere

Figure 2. Photo adapted and modified from: Earth and Life Science TG p. 43

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Activity 2: Describing

• Use the following words below to describe the layers of the Earth on the illustration found at the right side.
You may use several descriptive words for a single layer. Right minus wrong. Use number corresponding to the
description of each layer.
1. soft 9. middle layer
2. hard 10. weak
3. brittle 11. ductile
4. liquid 12. elastic
5. solid
6. thin
7. outermost Layer A Layer B
8. innermost
1 1
Layer C Layer D

1 1

Figure 3. Layers of the Earth

(https://phys.org/news/2015-12-earth-layers.html)

Can I answer this?

Q1. How scientists look into Earth’s interior?

Let’s learn about it!

The Earth’s layered structure

Core structure
Most of what we know about the interior of the Earth
comes from the study of seismic waves from earthquakes.
Seismic waves from large earthquakes pass throughout the
Earth. These waves contain vital information about the
internal structure of the Earth. As seismic waves Figure 4. Structure of the Earth
pass through the Earth, they are refracted, or bent, (https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/hazards/earthquakes/structur
like rays of light bend when they pass through a eOfEarth.html#:~:text=Seismic%20waves%20from%20large%20earthquak
es,pass%20though%20a%20glass%20prism.)
glass prism.

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The crust
The crust is a very thin layer that measures
between 0 and 60 km. It has two layers and is
composed of two major kinds of rocks. The thick
continental crust, about 32 km, makes up the
land surface of the Earth and is composed
primarily of dense materials such as granite. The
thin oceanic crust has a depth of 5–10 km and is
made up of basalt which is less dense than granite.
The crust can be broken down into plates which
produce earthquakes when they move along each
other. Figure 5. The crust and the upper mantle
(https://link.quipper.com/en/organizations/547ffb0fd2b76d0002002393/curr
The mantle iculum#curriculum)
Below the crust lies the dense mantle which
consists of dense silicate rocks. Both P- and S-
waves from earthquakes travel through the
mantle, demonstrating that it is solid. However,
there is separate evidence that parts of the mantle
behave as a fluid over very long geological times
scales, with rocks flowing slowly in giant
convection cells.

The mantle is the thickest layer of the Earth,

spanning almost 2900 km and making up 84% of
the Earth’s volume. It contains magma. It is
primarily solid but behaves as a viscous liquid. This
behavior is due to temperature differences towards Figure 6. Convection cell in the mantle
the lower mantle. As the depth becomes near the (https://link.quipper.com/en/organizations/547ffb0fd2b76d0002002393/c
core, the temperature increases. This is known as urriculum#curriculum)
the geothermal gradient, the increase in
temperature with depth. In the upper mantle, the
temperatures range from 600 to 900 °C. In the lower
mantle, the temperature can reach over 4000 °C.

The crust and the upper part of the mantle make

up the lithosphere, a zone of rigid, brittle rock. The
layer below it is called the asthenosphere. This part
of the mantle is solid in a plastic manner (flows very
slowly), allowing the plates to move on top of it.

Figure 7. The asthenosphere

(https://link.quipper.com/en/organizations/547ffb0fd2b76d0002002393/c
urriculum#curriculum)

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The core
The core is at the center of the Earth. In this
region, the temperature is hotter than the mantle. It
is divided into two parts: the outer core and the
inner core.

The liquid outer core is 2300 km thick. It is

composed primarily of iron and nickel. The
temperature here is around 4000–5700 °C. Due to
its high temperature, the outer core undergoes
convection and rotates faster than the planet.

The inner core is a solid ball with a radius of

1220 km. Like the outer core, the inner core is made
up of iron and nickel, but in solid form. The
temperature is quite high at around 7000 °C.
The difference between the state of matter of the
Figure 8. Earth’s magnetic field generated in the core
(https://link.quipper.com/en/organizations/547ffb0fd2b76d0002002
393/curriculum#curriculum)

inner and outer core is due to the very high pressure

in the inner core, increasing the melting points of the
metals. Scientists believed that the inner core rotates
opposite to the direction of the flow of the outer core,
creating an effect that influences the Earth’s magnetic
field. At a depth of about 2900 km is the boundary
between the mantle and the Earth's core.

We also know that the outer part of the core is

liquid, because S-waves do not pass through it.

Figure 8. Seismic waves interaction

(https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/hazards/earthquakes/structur
eOfEarth.html#:~:text=Seismic%20waves%20from%20large%20earthquak
es,pass%20though%20a%20glass%20prism.)

Figure 9. Seismic waves interaction animation

(https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/hazards/earthquakes/structur
eOfEarth.html#:~:text=Seismic%20waves%20from%20large%20earthquak
es,pass%20though%20a%20glass%20prism.)

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Q2. How temperature, pressure, and density change as you travel deeper down the Earth?

Activity 3: Picture Analysis

• Refer to image at the right side to answer

the following questions below:
Q3. What is the relationship of the density
of matter to the distance of its
individual particle?
Q4. As you go deeper down the earth,
temperature, pressure and density
change. How do you compare the
density of materials of the crust with that of the inner core?
Q5. The outer core is believed to be in liquid state while the inner core is solid. Why?
Q6. If there is a way to insert some volume of gas in the core, would it stay as gas phase? Why?

Activity 4: Label-dragging

• Use the following words below to

differentiate continental crust from
oceanic crust. Use number to refer to
kind of crust. (1) continental crust and
(2) oceanic crust. Indicate your answer
before each word.
__ thinner
__ thicker
__ less dense
__ more dense
__ made of granite
__ made of basalt

Activity 5. Egg-cellent Earth activity

Using hard-boiled egg as a model of Earth’s structure

• Use the egg as a model to represent the earth’s structures.
• Describe the eggshell and identify what part of the earth the eggshell represents.
• Crack the eggshell by gently rolling the egg against the table.
• Describe the appearance of the eggshell and identify the part of the earth the broken eggshell represents.
• Carefully cut the egg in half. Mark the center of the yolk with a dot using a marker.
• Identify which parts of the Earth interior are modelled by the cut egg (shell, white, yolk, dot).
• Describe how the model demonstrates the characteristics of these layers (solid, liquid, etc.).

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• Make an annotated sketch with actual parts of the egg labeled on the left side and the layers of the Earth they
represent on the other side.
• When you are done with your task, display (project a transparency of) a cross section of the Earth’s layers to
compare with the egg model.
• Briefly discuss and identify the similarities and differences between the egg model and the corresponding
layers of the Earth.

Q7. What layered structure of Eggshell

the earth is represented by?
A. Eggshell ________
B. Egg white _______ Egg white
C. Egg yolk ________
Egg yolk

I need to explore!

Q8. If you cut an apple in half, you will see that it is composed of three parts: a thin skin, a flesh in which the
mass is concentrated, and seeds located at the center. Similarly, if you cut the Earth, you will see layers: a
crust on the outside, a mantle of significant weight, and a core at the center.

I should try it!

Q9. Research about how the layers of the Earth are formed.

What do I think?

Q10. What might happen to the Earth if the inner core melts?

• The Earth has three layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core.
• The crust is the solid outer layer of the Earth.
• The types of crust are the oceanic crust and the continental crust.

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• The mantle lies below the crust and composed primarily of magma.
• The crust and the upper part of the mantle constitute the lithosphere; the upper part of the mantle is the
asthenosphere.
• The core is the center of the Earth and is composed of the solid inner core and the liquid outer core.

How much I have learned?

The following questions will determine how much you have learned from the module.

Posttest
Essay
1. Discuss the composition of crust, mantle and core.
2. Describe how temperature, pressure, and density change as you travel deeper down the Earth.
3. Contrast continental crust and oceanic crust.
4. Discuss what the inner core is made up of and why it is solid. Contrast inner and outer core.

Activity 3 Rubrics
ACTIVITY 3
NEEDS MEETS EXCEEDS
NOT VISIBLE
IMPROVEMENT EXPECTATIONS EXPECTATIONS
(4) (6) (8) (10)
Can state the relationship of the density of
matter to the distance of its individual
particle.
Can compare the density of materials of
the crust with that of the inner core.
Can explain why the outer core is liquid
while the inner core is solid.
Can reason out what will happen to gas
particles when subjected to high pressure
in the core.

I should try it! Rubrics

I should try it!
NEEDS MEETS EXCEEDS
NOT VISIBLE
IMPROVEMENT EXPECTATIONS EXPECTATIONS
(4) (6) (8) (10)
Content
Discuss comprehensively on the how
the layers of the earth were formed
Relevance
The contents of the discussion was
relevant to the topic on how the
layers of the earth was formed.
Coherence

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The idea was presented logically and

consistently.
Neatness
The answers were written neatly and
legibly.

EVALUATION Rubrics
EVALUATION
NEEDS MEETS EXCEEDS
NOT VISIBLE
IMPROVEMENT EXPECTATIONS EXPECTATIONS
(4) (6) (8) (10)
Can discuss the composition of crust,
mantle and core.
Can describe how temperature, pressure,
and density change as you travel deeper
down the Earth.
Can contrast continental crust and oceanic
crust.
Can discuss what the inner core is made up
of and why it is solid and can contrast
inner and outer core.

References and Links

1) Earth and Life Science TG 41-45.

2) Earth. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/earth/in-
depth/#:~:text=Structure,(1%2C221%20kilometers)%20in%20radius. (accessed: June 19, 2020)
3) Internal structure of the Earth.
https://link.quipper.com/en/organizations/547ffb0fd2b76d0002002393/curriculum#curriculum (accessed:
June 19, 2020)
4) Internal structure of the Earth. https://phys.org/news/2015-12-earth-layers.html (accessed: June 19, 2020)
5) Structure of the Earth
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/hazards/earthquakes/structureOfEarth.html#:~:text=Seismic
%20waves%20from%20large%20earthquakes,pass%20though%20a%20glass%20prism. (accessed: June 19,
2020)

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