Earth & Life Science
(410 miles) to about 2,700 kilometers (1,678 miles) beneath Earth’s
1.7-8 Identify the layers of the Earth (crust, mantle, core).
Differentiate the layers of the Earth.
What are the layers of the earth?
Crust, Mantle, Core
1. Crust – has a thin layer measuring 40 km deep composed of solid
rocks and minerals.
Humans live on the crust, the top most layer of the Earth.
It is divided into two forms: Oceanic and Continental Crust
Oceanic crust is the uppermost layer of the oceanic portion of a
tectonic plate.
Continental crust is the layer of igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic rocks that forms the continents and the areas of
shallow seabed close to their shores, known as continental shelves.
2. Mantle – It represents about 85 % of the total weight and mass of
our planet.
Composition of mantle:
 First 50 miles of the mantle – very hard, rigid rock
 Next 150 miles of the mantle – super-heated solid rock
 Next several hundred miles – solid sturdy rock materials.
The mantle is divided into Upper and Lower mantle.
Upper Mantle - The upper mantle extends from the crust to a depth
of about 410 kilometers (255 miles). The upper mantle is mostly
solid, but its more malleable regions contribute to tectonic activity.
Lower Mantle - The lower mantle extends from about 660 kilometers
surface. The lower mantle is hotter and denser than the upper mantle
and transition zone.
The lower mantle is much less ductile than the upper mantle and
transition zone. Although heat usually corresponds to softening rocks,
intense pressure keeps the lower mantle solid.
3. Core - Scientists believe that deep down inside the Earth, there’s a
huge ball of liquid and solid iron.
A team of scientists has measured the melting point of iron at high
precision in a laboratory, and then drew from that result to calculate
the temperature at the boundary of Earth's inner and outer core —
now estimated at 6,000 C (about 10,800 F). That's as hot as the
surface of the sun.
This is the Earth’s core, and it protects us from the dangerous
radiation of space.
The core is divided into two parts: Inner and Outer Core
Outer Core – is a fluid layer about 2,300 km (1,400 mi) thick and
composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above Earth's solid inner
core and below its mantle.
Its outer boundary lies 2,890 km (1,800 mi) beneath Earth's surface.
Inner Core - is the Earth's innermost part and according to
seismological studies, it has been believed to be primarily a solid ball
with a radius of about 1,220 kilometers (760 miles), which is about
70% of the Moon's radius.
It is composed of an iron-nickel alloy and some light elements.