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The Inner Core
• The deepest layer in Earth is the inner core. It
is located at the center of the Earth because it
contains the densest material of all of Earth’s
layers. The inner core is solid and mostly
composed of the element Iron (Fe). Its
extremely hot temperature is estimated at
6,000 ⁰C. This layer is approximately 1,250 km
thick.
The Outer Core
• The outer core is less dense than the inner
core and, therefore, is located around the
inner core. The temperature ranges from
4,000⁰C to 5,000⁰C. The outer core is
approximately 2,200 km thick and is a
combination of mostly molten iron (fe) and
nickel (Ni). The outer core is Liquid.
The Mantle
• The mantle is located outside of the outer
core. This layer is made mostly of iron (Fe) and
magnesium (Mg) and has a thickness of
approximately 2,900 km. The upper mantle’s
high temperatures of 2,800-3,200 ⁰C can melt
rocks. The mantle is a solid.
The Asthenosphere
• The semisolid layer in the upper part of the
mantle is called the asthenosphere. The upper
mantle’s high temperatures of 2,800-3,200⁰C
can melt rocks. The asthenosphere is a solid
that flows like a liquid. This physical property
is called plasticity. Scientists believe that the
lithosphere and the crust are able to move
slowly over the top of the mantle and
asthenosphere. The asthenosphere is about
180 km thick.
The Crust
The Crust is the thinnest layer of Earth (8-32 km)
and is much cooler in temperature (about 200400⁰C). The crust is broken into two categories,
oceanic crust and continental crust. Continental
crust is much thicker than oceanic crust. The
crust is broken into many large pieces called
tectonic plates. Scientists believe these plate
‘float’ and move around very slowly on the
semiliquid asthenosphere. Solid. Oxygen (O2)
and Silicon (Si).
The Lithosphere
• The layer around the asthenosphere is known
as the lithosphere. The lithosphere is the solid
outer layer of Earth that consists of the crust
and the upper mantle. This layer is made up of
mostly the elements Oxygen (O2) and silicon
(Si). The temperature ranges from 2001500⁰C depending on the depth. The
thickness of the lithosphere can be anywhere
from 40- 200 km thick.
Oceanic Crust
• Composition: Mafic Rock- Iron (Fe) and
Magnesium (Mg)
• Thickness: 8-10 km
• Temperature: 200-400 ⁰C
• State of Matter: Solid
Continental Crust
• Composition: igneous, metamorphic, and
sedimentary rocks
• Thickness: 10-32 km
• Temperature: 200-400 ⁰C
• State of Matter: Solid