Download The Earth`s Interior Structure

The Earth's Interior Structure
Compositional Layering
Mechanical Layering
Crust
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Mantle
Mesosphere
Outer Core
Core
Inner Core
Crust: relatively light silicate minerals
'the cream that floated to the top
soon after the Earth formed'
5 to 40 miles thick
Mantle: relatively dense silicate minerals (olivine)
Just under 2000 miles thick
Core: Mostly iron with some nickel
Just over 2000 miles thick
'the heavy stuff that sank to the middle'
Lithosphere: Earth's rigid outer shell
60 miles (100 km) thick
includes the crust and the uppermost mantle
Asthenosphere: relatively weak, plasticy layer in the
mantle
Mesosphere: 'middle sphere'; lower mantle
Outer core: liquid
Inner core: solid