Earth's Layers
During Earth's early history, the process of differentiation caused denser, heavier materials to sink toward the center while lighter materials rose toward the surface. Earth originally turned molten due to heavy impacts by objects like Theia. Gravity then pulled the heavier material toward the center.
Crust
The Life Raft
The crust is the outermost layer of Earth. It is the layer that we live on, floating around on top of the hot, flowing rock beneath. While Earth's main four layers are defined by their chemical composition, there are also important layers that are defined based on their mechanical behavior. The lithosphere includes the entire crust and part of the upper mantle. It is what we think of as a "classic crust" because it is rigid and makes Earth's tectonic plates.
- 0-100km deep
- thin, brittle, coldest layer
- made of lighter rocks - basalt (oceanic) and granite (continental)
Mantle
The Recycler
The mantle is the thickest layer of Earth. It has convection currents that are critical to the theory of plate tectonics. The lithosphere, as discussed with the crust, moves around in rigid pieces. The asthenosphere right below it is hotter and more plastic - a flowing solid. Plates on the lithosphere get dragged down back into the asthenosphere in the mantle, where it melts and gets recycled to eventually become new crust again.
- 100 - 2,900 km deep
- thickest layer
- made of solid, dense, flowing rock
- made of iron, magnesium, silicon
- has convection currents driven by heat from the core
Inner Core
The Fireplace
Acting as our permanent fireplace, the inner core holds heat left over from Earth's initial formation. The inner core is very slowly cooling down over time. On Mars, the core no longer supplies enough heat to power convection, making Mars a "dead" planet. Without a turning core, Mars lost its magnetic field, allowing the atmosphere to blow away in the solar wind. The water evaporated, and tectonic activity stopped.
- 5,150 - 6,370 km deep
- solid metal
- about as hot as the surface of the Sun
- immense pressure keeps it solid
Outer Core
The Shield
Maybe the most cricital layer for our survival, the outer core is made of liquid metal and rotates around the inner core. The movement of liquid metal creates our magnetic shield which shields us from solar radiation from the Sun.
- 2,900 - 5,150 km deep
- molten liquid
- mostly iron and nickel
- creates our magnetic field
Earth's Layers
Abigail Hagen
Created on March 30, 2026
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Transcript
Earth's Layers
During Earth's early history, the process of differentiation caused denser, heavier materials to sink toward the center while lighter materials rose toward the surface. Earth originally turned molten due to heavy impacts by objects like Theia. Gravity then pulled the heavier material toward the center.
Crust
The Life Raft
The crust is the outermost layer of Earth. It is the layer that we live on, floating around on top of the hot, flowing rock beneath. While Earth's main four layers are defined by their chemical composition, there are also important layers that are defined based on their mechanical behavior. The lithosphere includes the entire crust and part of the upper mantle. It is what we think of as a "classic crust" because it is rigid and makes Earth's tectonic plates.
Mantle
The Recycler
The mantle is the thickest layer of Earth. It has convection currents that are critical to the theory of plate tectonics. The lithosphere, as discussed with the crust, moves around in rigid pieces. The asthenosphere right below it is hotter and more plastic - a flowing solid. Plates on the lithosphere get dragged down back into the asthenosphere in the mantle, where it melts and gets recycled to eventually become new crust again.
Inner Core
The Fireplace
Acting as our permanent fireplace, the inner core holds heat left over from Earth's initial formation. The inner core is very slowly cooling down over time. On Mars, the core no longer supplies enough heat to power convection, making Mars a "dead" planet. Without a turning core, Mars lost its magnetic field, allowing the atmosphere to blow away in the solar wind. The water evaporated, and tectonic activity stopped.
Outer Core
The Shield
Maybe the most cricital layer for our survival, the outer core is made of liquid metal and rotates around the inner core. The movement of liquid metal creates our magnetic shield which shields us from solar radiation from the Sun.