Earth Layers

Earth's Layers

Continental Crust

Oceanic Crust

Upper Mantle

Lower Mantle

Outer Core

Inner Core

Oceanic Crust

Oceanic Crust describes itself right in its own name. The oceanic crust is the crust that is under the ocean. Think about what happens to lava when it hits water.

Volcano in Hawaii hitting water.

• Oceanic Crust makes up about 70% of the total crust on the Earth.
• There is way more ocean than there is land.

Lower Mantle

Below the lithosphere is the lower mantle. It is the largest part of the Earth Layers. It sits about 2,900 Km below the Earth's surface. It also has a fancy name, Asthenosphere, or the plastic ball.

• The lower mantle is techincally solid
• Made of large deposites of magnesium and iorn silicates
• Denisty = 5.0 g/cm^3

Inner Core

The inner core is the last layer and the very center of the Earth. It is the hottest layer, but is solid.

• About 6,370 Km below the Earth's surface
• Made of mostly Iron
• Denisty = 13.0 g/cm^3

Upper Mantle

The upper mantle is the layer right below the crust. It has a facy name called ther lithosphere. Which really just means "rock-ball"

• Sits about 670km below the surface of the Earth.
• It is mostly solid
• large deposites of magnesium and iorn silicates
• Has a density of 3.9 g/cm^3

Outer Core

The outer core is almost the center of the Earth. It is the only layer that is a true liquid. It is also the second hottest layer of the Earth.

• About 5,150 Km below the surface of the Earth
• Is a liquid layer
• Made if iorn (most dense natural element)
• Density = 11.1 g/cm^3

Continental Crust

The other 30% of the crust

Continental crust is what you are standing on right now. We also call this stuff "land". Continental crust is created through millions of years of tectonic plates moving and shaping the places we live. Volcanic eruptions also play a part in expanding continental crust.

• In social studies you learn about the names of the contients.
• In science we learn how the contients interact and make new places.