A Journey to the Center of the Earth and back! The Layers of the Earth

If you could burrow to the center of the Earth, what would you expect to happen to the pressure, the temperature, and the solidity of the matter?

What are the 3 main layers of the Earth? Crust Mantle Core

Crust

Mantle

Core

Let’s break it down! From the inside out…

The Core The Inner Core 1,228 km in diameter Metal (iron) HOT, HOT, HOT!!!! (6,000° C) - Very dense sphere (SOLID) The Outer Core 2,200 km thick The Outer Core is LIQUID ! The Inner Core at 6,000° C is HOTTER than the surface of the sun at 5,500° C. BUT, the center of the sun is 15 million degrees C.

The Inner Core

1,228 km in diameter

Metal (iron)

HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!

(6,000° C)

- Very dense sphere (SOLID)

The Outer Core

2,200 km thick

The Outer Core is LIQUID !

The Mantle Mesosphere 2,500 km thick “ meso-” means? Middle Strong, inner part of mantle Asthenosphere 250 km thick “ astheno-” means? Weak Soft layer (putty-like) Viscous solid EX: butter, clay

Mesosphere

2,500 km thick

“ meso-” means?

Middle

Strong, inner part of mantle

Asthenosphere

250 km thick

“ astheno-” means?

Weak

Soft layer (putty-like)

Viscous solid

EX: butter, clay

The Lithosphere Made of: Upper Ridge Part of the Mantle and Crust 15 – 300 km thick “ litho-” means? Rock Is divided into pieces called? Tectonic Plates Plates slide over the Asthenosphere

Made of:

Upper Ridge Part of the Mantle

and

Crust

15 – 300 km thick

“ litho-” means?

Rock

Is divided into pieces called?

Tectonic Plates

Plates slide over the Asthenosphere

Crust Oceanic Crust – 5 km to 8 km Continental Crust – 30 km to 100 km deep

Oceanic Crust – 5 km to 8 km

Continental Crust – 30 km to 100 km deep

“ Layers of the Earth” handout

Scale of Drawing: 500 km = 1 cm Asthenosphere Mesosphere Mantle Outer Core Inner Core Core Drawing thickness in centimeters (cm) Thickness in kilometers (km) Round to nearest hundred Layers