Earth's Layers

Question 1

What is the Earth’s crust?

Answer 1

outermost layer
includes rocks, mountains, soil & water
5-40km thick
870°C

Question 2

Continental vs Oceanic crust:

Answer 2

continental - dry land (granite)
oceanic - ocean (basalt)

Question 3

What is the mantle?

Answer 3

layer of hot rock
semi-solid
2900km thick

Question 4

What is the lithosphere?

Answer 4

rigid
almost like crust
100km thick
floats on top of asthenosphere

Question 5

What is the asthenosphere?

Answer 5

plastic like
material can flow slowly on it like hot tar
has both solid and liquid qualities

Question 6

What is the core?

Answer 6

made up of inner and outer core
50,000°C
makes 1/3 of Earth’s mass
made up of iron & nickel

Question 7

What is the outer core?

Answer 7

fluid
layer of molten material
covers inner core
2200km thick

Question 8

What is the inner core?

Answer 8

dense solid ball of metal
due to intense pressure, iron & nickel are unable to become liquid
2500km thick