Download earth layers honors

EARTH SCIENCE
What to expect

Earth
 Its
layers
 How they behave
 How new mantel is created
Layers

2 types
 Compositional
 Mechanical
Compositional
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Crust
Mantel
Core
Crust
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Low density
Between 5-70 km thick
2 different types of crust
 Continental
 Under
continents
 Varies in composition
 Varies in thickness
 Oceanic
 Under
oceans
 Usually thinner (5-6 km)
 Mafic
 Uniform
Mantel

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High density
Ultramafic silicate rock
Over 2900 km thick and makes up over 80% of the
volume of the Earth.
The mantle is not molten!
Core

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Iron and nickel
Liquid outer region
Solid center
The core is just over half the diameter of the Earth.
IMPORTANT

These compositional layers have sharp or abrupt
boundaries between them.
Mechanical layers

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Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Mesosphere (lower mantel)
Outer core
Inner core
Lithosphere


Most ridged layer of the earth
About 100 km thick
 Really
thin in mid ocean ridges
 Thicker under continents
Asthenosphere

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Plastic (kind of solid but it moves)
About 100 km thick
Mesosphere

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Ridged (still can move, but less than asthenosphere)
Takes up the rest of the mantel
Outer core

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Liquid
Mostly iron and some other elements
Actually a liquid (ONLY LAYER THAT IS TRUELLY A
LIQUID)
10-12 km thick
Inner core

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

Ridged/solid
Same composition as the outer core, just in solid
form
About ½ the size of the overall core
12-13 km thick