KEY

QUESTIONS :
1. What is inside the
earth?
2. What are the different
layers of Earth's interior?
 Geosphere
The geosphere is the solid
Earth that includes the continental
and ocean crust as well as the
various layers of Earth’s interior.
• 94% of the Earth is composed of
the elements oxygen, silicon, and
magnesium.
• The geosphere is not static
(unchanging), but its surface
(crust) is in a constant state of
motion.
• Mineral resources are mined from
the geosphere.

http://ess.geology.ufl.edu/ess/Introduction/Geosphere.html
EARTH
MATERIAL
S AND
RESOURC
 Earth’s
Earth’s Interior
Interior
What
What wewe know
know about
about Earth’s
Earth’s interior
interior comes
comes
from
from indirect
indirect avenues
avenues of of investigation.
investigation.
Earth’s
Earth’s diameter
diameter isis approximately
approximately 12,756
12,756 km
km
(~
(~ 7,500
7,500 miles).
miles).
-the
-the deepest
deepest hole
hole we
we have
have ever
ever drilled
drilled
into
into the
the Earth
Earth is
is only
only 9.6
9.6 km
km (~5
(~5 mi).
mi).
The deepest drill so far is the
Kola Hole in Russia. After 24
years of drilling scientists
reached a depth of just over
12km. The deepest geothermal
boreholes in New Zealand are 3km
deep.
The Layers of the
Earth!
 Earth’s Layers: Composition and Physical Characteristics
Composition Physical Characteristics
crust Primarily silica
lithosphere brittle solid
plus light asthenosphere solid (but
metallic nearly
elements liquid)

mantle
mesosphere solid
Primarily
silica plus
iron and
magnesium

outer core liquid

Primarily iron
core and nickel
inner core solid

Note: Lithosphere contains both crust and uppermost (brittle) layer of mantle
 Earth Layers

• The Earth is divided into four main

layers.

*Inner Core
*Outer Core
*Mantle
*Crust
 The Crust
* The Earth’s crust is like
the skin of an apple. It
is very thin compared to
the other three layers.

*The crust makes up 1% of

the Earth.

* The crust of the Earth

is broken into many
pieces called plates.
 The Mantle
• The mantle is the
layer below the
crust.
• The mantle is the
largest layer of the
Earth.
• The mantle is
divided into two
regions: the upper
and lower sections.
 Outer Core
* The core of the
Earth is like a ball
of very hot metals.

* The outer core is

liquid.

* The outer core is

made up of iron and
is very dense.
 Inner Core
* The inner core of
the Earth has
temperatures and
pressures so great
that the metals are
squeezed together
and are not able to
move.
* The inner core is a
solid.
 The Earth Bowl
• First, everyone will divide up into groups!
• The groups need to pick two people to be the materials
specialists. Those people will need to get:
A plastic baggie which contains graham crackers
and sugar.
A container of raspberry Jell-O
A container of black cherry Jell-O
A container of lemon Jell-O
A spoon
A bowl
DO NOT TOUCH ANY OF THE MATERIALS AFTER
YOU HAVE RECEIVED THEM. WAIT UNTIL I
EXPLAIN WHAT TO DO.
The Steps to Making the Layers!
1) First you will need the plastic baggie containing
graham crackers and sugar. Break the graham
crackers up with the sugar in the bag.
DO NOT POUND TOO HARD! YOU DON’T WANT
THE BAG TO BREAK!
2) After the graham crackers are broken up into
crumbs, I will bring you butter to mix in the
baggie.
3) Now, take the graham crackers out and press the
mixture on the sides of the bowl to form the crust.
4) Now take the black cherry Jell-O and
spoon it into the bowl that you have put
the crust in. Form it so there is a pocket in
the middle left open.
5) Take the lemon Jell-O and put it in the
bowl where you left the pocket, but make
sure you leave a hole in the middle for
your raspberry Jell-O.
6) Finally, put your raspberry Jell-O in the
center.
 You have now made the
Layers of the Earth.

*The Crust (graham crackers)

*The Mantle (black cherry)
* The Outer Core (lemon)
* The Inner Core (raspberry)
 Review
1) What are the four layers of the Earth?
2) The Earth’s crust is very ______?
3) The mantle is the largest layer of the
Earth? True or False
4) Is the Outer Core a liquid or a solid?
 Answers!
1) Crust, Mantle, Outer Core, Inner Core
2) Thin
3) True
4) Liquid