Structure of the Earth Flashcards
What is the structure of the Earth?
From centre: Inner Core Outer Core Mantle; Lower and Upper Earth's Crust
What is the inner core?
The hottest part of the Earth but has a solid structure (made of iron and nickel and is 1260 km thick)
What is the outer core?
Very hot but not as hot as the inner core yet is liquid (made of iron and nickel and is 2220 km thick)
What is the mantle?
Made of heavy rock and forms half of the Earth. The upper mantle is hard whereas the rock below (lower mantle) is hot and soft like soft toffee. It is also runny in places (2900 km thick)
What is the Earth’s crust?
The layer we live on and is a thin layer of rock (basalt) like the skin of an apple. (8-65 km thick)
How old is the Earth?
4.6 billion years old
The continental crust is made of what?
Graphite
The oceanic crust is made of what?
Basalt
What do the Earth’s crust and upper mantle together form?
The Lithosphere
What happens the closer we get to the centre of the Earth?
It gets hotter - it is impossible to get to the inner core let alone get into the mantle
