Earth Science

Structure of the Earth

Earth’s Structure
Earth
 Consists of layers of different densities with distinct characteristics and properties.
Date: 08/1/21

Layers of the Earth Inner Outer Core

Core • Iron and Nickel
The
TheMantle: Lowerand
Core: Inner andOuter
Upper • Iron The
and
TheNickel
properties
propertiesof the
themantle
• Magnetic • of
Createscore
the magnetic field
• Peridotite:
Solid • Liquid
Rocks formed in Mantle, is richer in
• ther metal’s The Upper
= 1250 magnesium
km • Mantle
and Thick = 2300
iron than km
the minerals
Asthenosphere: The upper layer of the Earth’s • found in upper mantle. • 4000*C
5400*C
Mantle, below the Lithosphere, it is a weak or soft • Lithosphere
Innermost • A fluid layer that lies
Asthenosphere
mantle made of solid rock that moves very • Lower
Composed
geologicoflayer of • above
the crust Upper
Composed Earth’s solid
of the upper
slowly. and
the
Mantle uppermost
Earth. mantle inner
mantlecore and
(>1280 below
C) its
Mantle
mantle.
• Cool,
Soft rocks
rigid and solid • Solid rocks
• Plastic – Can flow very
• About 100 km in • Malleable
Less ductile slowly (1 cm – 5cm/ yr)
• thickness
Gutenberg •• Mohorovicic
Soft and easily
Discontinuity Discontinuity
deformed.
•Oceanic
2240 km thick Continental Crust
Magma 2900 km Peridotite • Iron magnesium silicate • Sodium
Crust
Potassium
• Igneous Rock Aluminum silicates
• Basaltic • Granitic
• Dark color and denser • Light color and less
• Ultramafic (Mg and Fe) dense
• Younger and thinner • Felsic (Feldspar and
layer Quartz)
• 8 – 10 km thick • Older and thick layer
• 10 - 70 km thick
Crust: The outermost layer of the Earth where The properties of the Crust
humans leave. (8km – 70 km.)

Oceanic Crust: A younger, thinner and denser

crust that contains silica and magnesium-based
basalt rock.