VIDEOS
MOHO- mohorovicic Discontinuity
The MOHO is the boundary between the Earth’s crust and mantle. Scientists discovered it when they noticed seismic waves travel faster below it. It marks where the composition of rock changes from crustal to mantle materials.
Lithosphere
The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer made up of the crust and the top part of the upper mantle. It is broken into tectonic plates that move slowly over the asthenosphere. These moving plates create mountains, earthquakes, and ocean trenches.
Asthenosphere
The asthenosphere is a soft, partly melted layer in the upper mantle. It allows the tectonic plates of the lithosphere to move on top of it. Its slow, flowing movement causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and the drifting of continents.
Mesosphere
The mesosphere, also called the lower mantle, extends from about 660 to 2,900 kilometers below Earth’s surface. It is hotter and denser than the upper mantle and stays solid due to high pressure. Even though it’s solid, it can slowly flow, helping transfer heat from the core to the surface.
Oceanic Crust
The oceanic crust lies beneath the oceans and is thinner but denser than continental crust. It is mainly made of basalt, a dark volcanic rock. This layer is constantly renewed at mid-ocean ridges and destroyed in subduction zones.
Continental Crust
The continental crust forms the continents and is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust. It’s mostly made of granite and other light rocks. Because it’s lighter, it sits higher on the mantle compared to oceanic crust.
Upper Mantle
The upper mantle extends from the MOHO to about 410 kilometers deep. It is made of solid rock that can slowly flow under pressure and heat. The upper mantle includes the rigid lithosphere and the softer asthenosphere below it.
Lower Mantle
The mantle lies beneath the crust and makes up most of Earth’s volume. It’s made of hot, dense rock that flows slowly over time. Convection currents in the mantle move heat upward and help drive plate tectonics.
Outer Core
The outer core is a liquid layer made mostly of iron and nickel. Its flowing metal creates Earth’s magnetic field. This layer lies between the mantle and the solid inner core, reaching depths of about 2,900 to 5,150 kilometers.
Inner Core
The inner core is the solid center of the Earth, made of iron and nickel. It’s extremely hot—around 6,000°C—but remains solid because of intense pressure. The inner core slowly grows as Earth cools and helps maintain the magnetic field.
Layers of the earth- Alice
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Transcript
VIDEOS
MOHO- mohorovicic Discontinuity
The MOHO is the boundary between the Earth’s crust and mantle. Scientists discovered it when they noticed seismic waves travel faster below it. It marks where the composition of rock changes from crustal to mantle materials.
Lithosphere
The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer made up of the crust and the top part of the upper mantle. It is broken into tectonic plates that move slowly over the asthenosphere. These moving plates create mountains, earthquakes, and ocean trenches.
Asthenosphere
The asthenosphere is a soft, partly melted layer in the upper mantle. It allows the tectonic plates of the lithosphere to move on top of it. Its slow, flowing movement causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and the drifting of continents.
Mesosphere
The mesosphere, also called the lower mantle, extends from about 660 to 2,900 kilometers below Earth’s surface. It is hotter and denser than the upper mantle and stays solid due to high pressure. Even though it’s solid, it can slowly flow, helping transfer heat from the core to the surface.
Oceanic Crust
The oceanic crust lies beneath the oceans and is thinner but denser than continental crust. It is mainly made of basalt, a dark volcanic rock. This layer is constantly renewed at mid-ocean ridges and destroyed in subduction zones.
Continental Crust
The continental crust forms the continents and is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust. It’s mostly made of granite and other light rocks. Because it’s lighter, it sits higher on the mantle compared to oceanic crust.
Upper Mantle
The upper mantle extends from the MOHO to about 410 kilometers deep. It is made of solid rock that can slowly flow under pressure and heat. The upper mantle includes the rigid lithosphere and the softer asthenosphere below it.
Lower Mantle
The mantle lies beneath the crust and makes up most of Earth’s volume. It’s made of hot, dense rock that flows slowly over time. Convection currents in the mantle move heat upward and help drive plate tectonics.
Outer Core
The outer core is a liquid layer made mostly of iron and nickel. Its flowing metal creates Earth’s magnetic field. This layer lies between the mantle and the solid inner core, reaching depths of about 2,900 to 5,150 kilometers.
Inner Core
The inner core is the solid center of the Earth, made of iron and nickel. It’s extremely hot—around 6,000°C—but remains solid because of intense pressure. The inner core slowly grows as Earth cools and helps maintain the magnetic field.