Earth’s Layers and

Atmosphere Layers

Objectives:
1. Identify and describe layers of the
earth.
2. Identify and describe layers of the
atmosphere.
Earth’s Layers (p.61)
 Earth’s Layers
• Lithosphere (solid)
– Outermost layer
– Crust and uppermost part of mantle
– “litho” means “rock”
– Huge pieces called tectonic plates, which
“float” on top of the asthenosphere
• Asthenosphere
– Upper part of the mantle
– Made of mantle rock which flows slowly,
allowing tectonic plates to move on top of
it.
 Earth’s Layers (cont.)
• Mesosphere
– “meso” means “middle”
– Lower part of the mantle
• Outer Core
– Liquid nickel and iron
• Inner Core
– Solid nickel and iron
Layers of the Atmosphere (p.68)
 Layers of the Atmosphere
• Troposphere
– Closest to Earth’s surface
– Almost all weather occurs here
– Densest atmospheric layer
– Temperature decreases with altitude
(height)
• Stratosphere
– Temperatures increase with altitude
– Contains ozone layer (O3)
 Layers of the Atmosphere
(cont.)
• Mesosphere
– “meso” means ?
– Coldest layer
• Thermosphere
– “thermo” means ?
– Highest temperatures
– Contains ions in the ionosphere, which
create the Northern Lights (the aurora
borealis)
 Assignment 
1. Draw, color, and label (DCL) the layers of the
earth.
2. DCL the layers of the atmosphere.
3. ON EACH DRAWING, add things to each
layer that will help you remember them.
• Example: What is a characteristic of the
mesosphere?
4. Make up with a mnemonic device to help
you and your classmates remember the
order of the layers.
Where do Earthquakes Occur?
Volcanoes: The Ring of Fire
 Plate Tectonics
• Lithosphere – rocky, outermost layer of
Earth’s crust – is divided into large
pieces called tectonic plates.
• Tectonic plates float across the molten
magma in the asthenosphere.
• Plate boundaries – most geologically
active areas on Earth.
– Plates collide, creating mountain ranges
– Earthquakes occur here
– Volcanoes occur here
 Earthquakes
• Caused by blocks of Earth’s crust
sliding past each other along faults
(breaks in Earth’s crust)
• Magnitude (measure of the energy
released) rated on the Richter scale
 Volcanoes
• A mountain built from magma (melted
rock)
• Usually located near tectonic plate
boundaries
• Most are found along the edges of the
Pacific Ocean (the “Ring of Fire”)
• Volcanic eruptions have local and
global effects.
 Local Effects of Volcanic
Eruptions
• Economic devastation
• Loss of human life
• Difficulty breathing due to volcanic ash
• Creates new crust
• Produces fertile soil
• Geothermal energy (“geo” = earth;
“thermal” = heat)
 Global Effects of Volcanic
Eruptions
• Volcanic ash in the atmosphere can
block incoming sunlight.
• Less sunlight = lower temperatures
• Mount Pinatubo (1991)
 Erosion
• Definition: the
transport
(movement) of
surface materials
• Water erosion
– Ocean waves
• Cliffs and sea stacks
• Battered shorelines
– Rivers
• Canyons
 Erosion (cont.)
• Wind erosion
– Removal of soil
– Rock formations
 Energy in the Atmosphere
• Energy from the sun enters Earth’s
atmosphere and is then transferred 3
ways (Fig. 15, pp.70-71):
– Radiation – across space (EX: heat from a
fire)
– Convection - transfer of heat by air
currents (also happens in water)
– Conduction – by direct contact
Methods of Heat Transfer
 Greenhouse Effect
• Definition: gases in the atmosphere trap
radiation and emit it as heat
• Most common greenhouse gases:
– Carbon dioxide
– Water vapor
– Methane
– Nitrous oxide
• Sources?
• The same effect is achieved in actual
greenhouses and in automobiles. (Fig. 16,
p.72)