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    DISCUSSION 3 - Layers of The Earth

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    Juliane Rebecca Pitlongay
    The Earth is composed of three main layers: the crust, mantle, and core. The crust is the thinnest layer and is made up of two types, continental and oceanic crust. Below the crust is the mantle, which is divided into the upper, middle, and lower mantle. The middle mantle flows slowly due to convection currents and is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates. The core is divided into a solid inner core made of iron and nickel surrounded by a liquid outer core also composed of iron and nickel. Temperature, pressure, and density all increase with depth in the Earth.

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    DISCUSSION 3 - Layers of The Earth

    Uploaded by

    Juliane Rebecca Pitlongay
    21 views27 pages
    The Earth is composed of three main layers: the crust, mantle, and core. The crust is the thinnest layer and is made up of two types, continental and oceanic crust. Below the crust is the mantle, which is divided into the upper, middle, and lower mantle. The middle mantle flows slowly due to convection currents and is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates. The core is divided into a solid inner core made of iron and nickel surrounded by a liquid outer core also composed of iron and nickel. Temperature, pressure, and density all increase with depth in the Earth.

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    DISCUSSION 3 - layers of the earth

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    The Earth is composed of three main layers: the crust, mantle, and core. The crust is the thinnest layer and is made up of two types, continental and oceanic crust. Below the crust is the mantle, which is divided into the upper, middle, and lower mantle. The middle mantle flows slowly due to convection currents and is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates. The core is divided into a solid inner core made of iron and nickel surrounded by a liquid outer core also composed of iron and nickel. Temperature, pressure, and density all increase with depth in the Earth.

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    21 views27 pages

    DISCUSSION 3 - Layers of The Earth

    Uploaded by

    Juliane Rebecca Pitlongay
    The Earth is composed of three main layers: the crust, mantle, and core. The crust is the thinnest layer and is made up of two types, continental and oceanic crust. Below the crust is the mantle, which is divided into the upper, middle, and lower mantle. The middle mantle flows slowly due to convection currents and is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates. The core is divided into a solid inner core made of iron and nickel surrounded by a liquid outer core also composed of iron and nickel. Temperature, pressure, and density all increase with depth in the Earth.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 27

    Layers of the Earth

    The Earth is made up of 3 main


    layers:
    Crust

    Mantle

    Core
    Crust
    Ocean Land

    ic C rust Contine
    ntal Cru
    n
    Ocea st
    The Earth’s crust is like the skin of
    an apple.
    Crust Ocean Land

    russtt CCoonntitinneennt
    n
    niicc Cru
    C
    taall C
    Oc
    O ceea
    a Crru
    usstt
    • Thinnest layer of the Earth
    • Made up of large amounts of silicon and
    aluminum
    • Composed of plates on which the continents
    and oceans rest. These “ride” over molten
    mantle.
    • Crust is part of the lithosphere.
    • Two types of Crust: Oceanic and Continental
    Continental vs. Oceanic Crust
    Category Continental Oceanic
    Rock Type Granite Basalt
    Thickness 5 – 70km (Thicker) 3 – 8 km (Thinner)
    State Solid Solid
    Crust Age 4 billion years old or 180 million years
    Older old or Younger
    Density Less Dense More Dense
    Element Oxygen, Sodium, Iron, Magnesium,
    Composition Silicon, Aluminum, Calcium
    Potassium
    TheLithosphere
    The crust and the upper layer of the
    mantle together make up a zone of
    rigid, brittle rock called the
    Lithosphere.
    The lithosphere (crust and upper
    mantle) is divided into separate plates
    which move very slowly in response to
    the “convecting” part of the mantle.
    The Lithospheric Plates

    The crust of the Earth is broken into many pieces


    called plates. The plates "float" on the soft, semi-
    rigid asthenosphere.
    Mantle Middle
    Mantle
    Upper Mantle

    Convection
    Currents

    Lower Mantle
    The Mantle
    The Mantle is the
    largest layer of the Earth
    at 2900 km thick. The
    middle mantle is
    composed of very hot
    dense rock that flows like
    asphalt under a heavy
    weight. The movement of
    the middle mantle
    (asthenosphere) is the
    reason that the crustal
    plates of the Earth move.
    The Asthenosphere

    The asthenosphere
    is the semi-rigid
    part of the middle
    mantle that flows
    like hot asphalt
    under a heavy
    weight.
    Asthenosphere
    The asthenosphere (“weak sphere”) is a soft layer of the
    mantle on which pieces of the lithosphere move. It is made
    of solid rock that, like putty, flows slowly- at about the same
    rate your fingernails grow.
    Convection Currents

    The middle mantle "flows" because of convection


    currents. Convection currents are caused by the very hot
    material at the deepest part of the mantle rising being less
    dense, then cooling becoming more dense and sinking
    again --repeating this cycle over and over.
    Upper Mantle

    Mantle Convection
    Currents
    Middle
    Mantle
    Lower Mantle

    • Solid but capable of flow (like fudge) Semi-Solid/Semi


    Liquid
    • Thickest layer of the Earth 2900km (1800 miles)
    • Element Composition: Magnesium, Silicon, Oxygen, and
    Iron
    • The hot magma rises then cools and sinks.
    • These convection currents cause changes in the Earth’s
    surface.
    • Conveyor belt for the tectonic plates.
    Core
    Outer
    Core

    Inner
    Core
    Outer
    Core
    • Composition: Molten (liquid) metal that is
    about 4,700°C (8,500°F)
    • Thickness: 2,266 km (1,400) miles
    • State of Matter: Composed of the melted
    metals nickel and iron (liquid)
    • Located about 1,800 miles beneath the crust.
    Inner
    Core
    • Solid sphere made mostly of iron and has Nickel
    • It is believed to be as hot as 6,650°C (12,000°F)
    • Heat in the core generated by the radioactive
    decay of uranium and other elements
    • It is solid because of the pressure from the outer
    core, mantle, and crust compressing it.
    • Thickness: 1271 km (800 miles)
    What do these two images tell
    us about the layers of the Earth?
    Temperature
    increases as depth increases
    Look at the information in the graph and
    table below. What’s the relationship
    between depth and density/pressure?
    Density and Pressure
    increase as depth increases
    Which layer of the Earth has the
    greatest temperature, pressure, and
    density?

    Core
    • How far have scientists
    drilled into the
    earth?

    •7.6 miles
    – Only 0.2% of the
    distance to the earth’s
    core
    How do we know so much about
    what’s under Earth’s surface?
    • Through INDIRECT EVIDENCE, mostly
    from seismic waves caused by earthquakes
    (more on this later this semester...)
    • Sometimes indirect evidence is the only
    option for scientists to develop a theory

    • Lets give it a try...

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