Download Layers of the Earth and Atmosphere

Name: ____________________________________
Class Period: ________
Layers of the Earth and Atmosphere
We will be using the textbook to study the layers of the earth and its atmosphere. For layers of the
Earth listed below, complete the data table using pages 230-232. We will also be drawing in the layers
of the atmosphere. This data has been supplied for you.
Layer
Inner Core
Average
Depth
6400 km
Temperature
What Is It
Made Of?
7200° C
iron
Description
Solid made up of iron and nickel.
It is under extreme pressure.
Outer Core
Lower Mantle
Asthenosphere
Upper Mantle
Crust
You will use a strip of calculator tape to complete a scale of the layers. Color the layers as indicated
next to the name. On the scale, use 1 cm to equal 100 km. that means a layer that is 1200 km thick would
equal 12 cm. (If a layer is less than 100 km use a part of a cm.) On this scale 10 km would equal 1 mm.
You will need one meter of tape. One end of your tape will represent the center of the earth. Begin
measuring there for the inner core.
Earth and
atmosphere layers
Inner core
Actual depth
(km)
1300 km
Model depth
(cm and mm)
13 cm
Outer Core
2200 km
22 cm
Lower Mantle
2240 km
22.4 cm
Asthenosphere
250 km
2.5 cm
Upper Mantle
395 km
3.95 cm
Crust
15 km
1.5 mm
Troposphere
12 km
1.2 mm
Stratosphere
38 km
3.8 mm
Mesosphere
30 km
3.0 mm
Ionosphere
470 km
4.7 cm
Exosphere
No specific depth
Use 12.0 cm
Use the following colors for your model:
Inner Core – Dark Brown
Outer Core – Orange
Lower Mantle – Red Orange
Asthenosphere - Red
Upper Mantle – Light Brown
Crust (Continental and Oceanic) – Green
Troposphere – Yellow
Stratosphere –Purple
Mesosphere – Light Blue
Ionosphere– Blue
Exosphere – Scattered Blue Dots
When you finish your model, answer the following questions on notebook paper using complete sentences.
Staple your notebook paper to this sheet and turn in when you are finished.
1. What is the thickest layer of the earth?
2. What is the thinnest layer of the earth?
3. If you were to use an apple to represent the earth, what part of the apple would represent the
earth’s crust?
4. How have scientists learned about the earth’s interior?
5. What layers make up the lithosphere?
6. What is the asthenosphere and why is it important?
7. Why is the inner core solid even though it is very hot?
8. What causes the Earth’s magnetic field?
Layers of the Earth and Atmosphere
We will be using the textbook to study the layers of the earth and its atmosphere. For layers of the
Earth listed below, complete the data table using pages 230-232. We will also be drawing in the layers
of the atmosphere. This data has been supplied for you.
Layer
Inner Core
Average
Depth
Temperature
What Is It
Made Of?
6400 km
5100 km
7200° C
4300° C
2900 km
3700° C
Rock
Solid made up of iron and nickel.
It is under extreme pressure.
Liquid iron; as it moves it creates
electric currents making Earth’s
magnetic field.
Largest part of Earth’s interior;
very hot and flows slowly
Hot rock
More fluid than other parts of
the mantle – like jelly; soft
iron
Iron and nickel
Outer Core
Lower Mantle
660 km
Between Lower
and Upper
Mantle
Asthenosphere
410 km
Description
Lower part of the lithosphere
870° C
Rock
0° C
Granite and
Basalt
Upper Mantle
15 km
Crust
Uppermost layer; cool so it cracks
and breaks easily; floats on the
mantle
You will use a strip of calculator tape to complete a scale of the layers. Color the layers as indicated
next to the name. On the scale, use 1 cm to equal 100 km. that means a layer that is 1200 km thick would
equal 12 cm. (If a layer is less than 100 km use a part of a cm.) On this scale 10 km would equal 1 mm.
You will need one meter of tape. One end of your tape will represent the center of the earth. Begin
measuring there for the inner core.
Earth and
atmosphere layers
Inner core
Actual depth
(km)
1300 km
Model depth
(cm and mm)
13 cm
Outer Core
2200 km
22 cm
Lower Mantle
2240 km
22.4 cm
Asthenosphere
250 km
2.5 cm
Upper Mantle
395 km
3.95 cm
Crust
15 km
1.5 mm
Troposphere
12 km
1.2 mm
Stratosphere
38 km
3.8 mm
Mesosphere
30 km
3.0 mm
Ionosphere
470 km
4.7 cm
Exosphere
No specific depth
Use 12.0 cm
Use the following colors for your model:
Inner Core – Dark Brown
Outer Core – Orange
Lower Mantle – Red Orange
Asthenosphere - Red
Upper Mantle – Light Brown
Crust (Continental and Oceanic) – Green
Troposphere – Yellow
Stratosphere –Purple
Mesosphere – Light Blue
Ionosphere– Blue
Exosphere – Scattered Blue Dots
When you finish your model, answer the following questions on notebook paper using complete sentences.
Staple your notebook paper to this sheet and turn in when you are finished.
1. What is the thickest layer of the earth?
2. What is the thinnest layer of the earth?
3. If you were to use an apple to represent the earth, what part of the apple would represent the
earth’s crust?
4. How have scientists learned about the earth’s interior?
5. What layers make up the lithosphere?
6. What is the asthenosphere and why is it important?
7. Why is the inner core solid even though it is very hot?
8. What causes the Earth’s magnetic field?