Layers of the Earth Flashcards
1
Q
Q: What is the crust?
A
A: Earth’s thin, outermost solid layer, 5–25 kilometers thick.
2
Q
Q: What is the lithosphere?
A
A: The rigid outer layer composed of the crust and the uppermost mantle
3
Q
Q: What is the asthenosphere?
A
A: A viscous layer beneath the lithosphere, allowing tectonic plates to move.
4
Q
Q: What is the mantle?
A
A: A thick layer below the crust that flows slowly and drives plate tectonics.
5
Q
Q: What are the inner and outer cores composed of?
A
A: Primarily iron and nickel.
Outer core: Liquid.
Inner core: Solid, with temperatures around 5,700°C.
6
Q
Q: Which layers of the Earth are solid?
A
A: The crust and the inner core.
