ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES IN

MODULE 1
Name: Grade & Section:

Layers of the Earth

Learning
Objectives

1. The student will be able to correctly identify and label the layers of the Earth and explain specific
characteristics of each layer.
2. The student will be able to model Earth’s layers and explain the benefits and limitations of their
model. Prior Knowledge Needed by the Students
 Students need to know how to make observations of models.
 Students need to know how to create a bar graph.
 Students should know that the Earth has an
interior. Background Information
The Earth’s interior is set up in layers, with each layer different from the previous one.
The layer at the surface is called the crust. The crust is the thinnest layer and is made up of dirt,
soil and mostly
solid rock. The crust extends up to 70 kilometres below the surface and its temperatures can be as high as
400 degrees Celsius (close to the mantle). The next layer, the Mantle, is the thickest layer at about 2900
kilometers thick.
Temperatures range from 2800-3200 degrees Celsius. In the upper part of the mantle, rocks are melted,
forming magma. The mantle is considered to be a semi-solid layer. The next layer is the Outer core which is
about 2250 kilometers thick and made up of liquid iron and nickel. Temperatures range between 4,000-5,000
degrees Celsius. The inner most layer is called the inner core and it is 1280 kilometers thick with
temperatures at about 6,000 degrees Celsius. The inner core is made up of solid nickel and iron because the
pressure of the layers above it compresses it into a solid.

Materials:
1 fun size layered candy
bar plastic knife
Procedure/discussion
1) Take your Layered candy bar and cut it in half, Observe the candy bar and answer the following questions:
1. Label and draw what you see on the inside of the Layered candy bar.
2. What do you observe about each of the layers?

They all had different types of layers which all contributed to the taste of the candy bar.

3. How do you think this relates to the Earth?

Earth has many layers like the candy bar

4. What are the benefits and limitations of using the Layered to model the layers of the Earth?

The benefits of it is using it as a model to represent the layers that we cannot see for our eyes, the
limitations are exactly that, we cannot see them and it is because so, that we use these models as an
example.
 2) Characteristics of Layers:
Using your textbook or digital resources, fill in the chart below about each layer.
Characteristics Crus Mantle Outer Core Inner Core
t
Composition Rock Molten Rock Liquid Metal Solid Metal
Temperature 0-400°C 3,200°C 5,000°C 6000°C
Thickness 0-60 km 2,900 km 2,300 km 1,220 km
Solid or Liquid solid semi-solid liquid solid

5, Which layer is the thickest? The mantle

6. Which layer is the hottest? The inner core
7. Between the mantle and the crust there are 2 sub-layers called the lithosphere and
the asthenosphere. Describe these layers.

The lithosphere is the combination of both the crust and the upper portion of the mantle, the
asthenosphere is a partially molten upper mantle material that behaves plastically and can flow

8. Hypothesize why you think the outer core is a liquid and the inner core is a solid.

The metallic nickel–iron outer core is liquid because of the high temperature. However, the intense pressure,
which increases towards the inner core, dramatically changes the melting point of the nickel–iron, making it
solid.

3) Earth’s Layers Diagram

Label and color each
layer.
** Use information from module or digital resources**

Crust

Lithosphere
Asthenosphere

Mantle Mantle

Outer core

Inner core
 9. What are the benefits and limitations of this model of Earth’s layers?
The benefits is that you can easily see all of the layers of the Earth and how they relate to one another. The
limitation is that it is not drawn to scale, shows very limited information in terms of temperature and pressure, you
can’t tell what type of material the layers are made of.