Download Structure of the Earth

Structure of the Earth
A Hidden Story
The Crust
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Solid outermost layer
Uppermost portion of lithosphere
1600 F
*5-25 miles deep
Two Types:
• Continental crust is thick (~35 km)
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Granite
• Oceanic crust is thin (1-10 km)
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Basalt
Lithosphere
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Rigid outer layer
Composed of the crust and
uppermost part of the mantle.
Least dense of all layers.
Broken into tectonic plates.
Asthenosphere
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Upper layer of mantle
Under the crust
Viscous
Flows under some conditions.
5,000 F
250km deep
The Mantle
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1,800 miles deep
5,000 F
Thick layer of ductile material
(partially melted/partial solid)
Two Layers:
• Lower Mantle (mesosphere)
• Upper Mantle (asthenosphere +
lithosphere)
The Core
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Outer Core- Liquid layer comprised
mainly of Iron-Nickel Alloy
• 6,700 F
• 1,400-2,000 miles deep
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Inner Core- Solid, innermost layer
(actually a sphere)
• 7,800 F
• 1,000 miles thick
Outer core
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Made of liquid iron and nickel
Spins and may generate a magnetic
field.
Inner Core
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Solid iron and nickel
Extreme pressure results in the solid
form
Inner and outer cores are most
dense layers
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Lithosphere
The Mantle
• Rigid outer layer
of the Earth
which extends
slightly into the
mantle
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Asthenosphere
• Low strength
layer of the Earth
below the
lithosphere.
• Extends for ~300
km into the
mantle.
Composition
Physical Properties
Entry Task
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1. Please turn in your earth history
cartoon.
2. Finish looking up information in
the text book pages 190-193.
3. Color the outside of your book.