Layers of the Earth

Denver P. Lajo
Science Teacher III
Structure of the Earth
• The Earth is
Mantle
made up of 3
main layers: Outer core

– Core
Inner core
– Mantle
– Crust Crust
 Ocea Land
n

Crust
Crust
Ocean Land

 The Layer which we live in.

 Thinnest layer of the Earth that ranges from only 2
miles in some areas of the ocean floor to 75 miles
deep under mountains
 Composed of plates on which the continents and
oceans rest
 Two types of crust: oceanic crust and continental
crust
The Two Layers of
Crust
 Continental Crust
 thick (35-40km)
- Made of less dense rocks
such as Granite
- mostly old

 Oceanic Crust
 - thin (~7 km)
- dense (sinks under continental crust)
- Generally made of basalt rocks
- young
What element is the most
abundant in the Earth’s
crust? Why?
Oxygen!
The Earth’s crust
composed of
46.6% Oxygen.
 Upper Mantle

Convection
Middle
Currents
Mantle

Lower Mantle

Mantle
Mantle
Upper Mantle

Convection Middle
Currents Mantle
Lower Mantle

 Solid but capable of flow (like hot asphalt or fudge)

 Thickest layer of the Earth (making up 70% of the
Earth’s mass)
 The hot material (magma) in the mantle rises to the
top of the mantle, cools, then sinks, reheats, and rises
again. These convection currents cause changes in
the Earth’s surface
What elements make up most
of the mantle?

 The elements Silicon, Oxygen,

Iron and Magnesium
What do you call the boundary
between the crust and the
mantle?
Moho (Mohorovicic
discontinuity
What is the special feature
of the upper mantle?
 The upper mantle has with it a soft
weak layer called the
asthenosphere, which is capable of
flowing. This property facilitates the
movement of the lithospheric plates.
What do you call that property?
PLASTICITY
 Crust

Mantle
Outer Core Lithosphere – Crust and
Upper Layer of the Mantle
Liquid
Layer of the Mantle
(asthenosphere) that
consists of hot rock of
tar-like consistency,
which slowly moves

Inner Core
Solid
 Oute
r
Core

Inne
r
Core

Core
 Outer
Core

 Molten(liquid) metal that is about

4,700°C (8,500°F)
 Located about 1,800 miles beneath the
crust and is about 1,400 miles thick
 Composed of the melted metals nickel
and iron
How did scientists discover
that the outer core is liquid?

 Thescientists were able to show that the

outer core is liquid due to the fact that S-
waves cannot travel through this Earth’s
layer as proven by the S-wave shadow
zone.
What do you call the
boundary between the
mantle and the outer core?

Gutenberg
discontinuity
Inner
Core

 Solid sphere composed mostly of iron

 It is believed to be as hot as 6,650°C (12,000°F)
 Heat in the core is probably generated by the
radioactive decay of uranium and other
elements.
 What do these two images tell
us about the layers of the Earth?
 Temperature
increases as depth increases
Look at the information in the graph and
table below. What’s the relationship
between depth and density/pressure?
 Density and Pressure
increase as depth increases
 Temperature,
Density and
Pressure increases
as depth increases
 Which layer of the Earth has the
greatest temperature, pressure, and
density?

Core
 Summary
The earth is layered with
a lithosphere (crust and
uppermost mantle),
convecting mantle, and
a dense metallic core.

Pressure, temperature,
and density increases
as depth increases. http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamice
arth/structure.html
EVALUATION
1. The boundary between the layer
of the Crust and Mantle.

A. Moho
B. Gutenberg discontinuity
C. Mohole
D. Asthenosphere
2. What makes up the lithosphere?

A. Continental crust
B. Oceanic crust and continental crust
C. Crust and the upper mantle
D. Upper mantle
3. Continental crust generally made
of _______________

A. Basalt rocks
B. Igneous rocks
C. Granite rocks
D. Sedimentary rocks
4. The movement of the lithospheric
plates is facilitated by a soft,
weak and plastic-like layer.
Which of the following layers is
described in the statement?

A. Lithosphere
B. Mantle
C. Atmosphere
D. Asthenosphere
5. Miners dig into the Earth in
search for precious rocks and
minerals. In which layer is the
deepest explorations made by
the miners?

A. Inner core
B. Crust
C. Mantle
D. Outer core
Learning Extensions:
 What is a seismic wave?
 Identify the classifications of

seismic waves and describe each.

Agreement:
 Bring manila paper, marker
and any coloring materials