Layers of the Earth

The Earth is made up of 3

main layers:

Crust

Mantle

Core
Think of the layers of the Earth like
the layers of a cake.
Crust
Ocean Land

C ru st Contin
en
ea n i c tal Cru
Oc st
Crust Ocean Land

russtt CCoonnttiinneenn
n
n iicc Cru
C
tta
all C
OOccea
ea Crruusstt

 Thinnest layer of the Earth

 Made up of large amounts of silicon and aluminum
 Composed of plates on which the continents and oceans rest.
These “ride” over molten mantle.
 Crust is part of the lithosphere.
 Two types of Crust: Oceanic and Continental
The Mantle
The Mantle is the
largest layer of the Earth
at 2900 km thick. The
middle mantle is
composed of very hot
dense rock that flows like
asphalt under a heavy
weight. The movement of
the middle mantle
(asthenosphere) is the
reason that the crustal
plates of the Earth move.
 Core
Outer
Core

Inner
Core
 Outer
Core
 Composition: Molten (liquid) metal that is about
4,700°C (8,500°F)
 Thickness: 2,266 km (1,400) miles
 State of Matter: Composed of the melted metals
nickel and iron (liquid)
 Located about 1,800 miles beneath the crust.
 Inner
Core
 Solid sphere made mostly of iron and has Nickel
 It is believed to be as hot as 6,650°C (12,000°F)
 Heat in the core generated by the radioactive decay of
uranium and other elements
 It is solid because of the pressure from the outer core,
mantle, and crust compressing it.
 Thickness: 1271 km (800 miles)
Earthquake
 is the sudden movement or vibration of the crust
 the shaking or trembling caused by the sudden
release of energy
 caused when rock masses shift in new position. As
the rock masses shift into new positions, the
energy stored in the rock masses is transmitted
onto the surface in the form of seismic (earth
vibration) earthquake waves.
 Earthquake
usually happen along faults
Faults are cracks in Earth’s crust between
two huge plates.
The motion of the ground during an
earthquake is measured by an instrument
called a seismograph.
http://homepage.ufp.pt/biblioteca/GlossarySaltTectonics/PlatesJPG/Fig.R018-ReverseFault.jpg
Seismographs record
earthquake events

At convergent boundaries,
focal depth increases
along a dipping seismic
zone called a Benioff
zone
 Types of Earthquake
 There are two types of earthquakes. These are
the volcanic and tectonic earthquakes.
 A volcanic earthquake happens with a strong
volcanic eruption
 tectonic earthquake is caused by the
movement of the earth’s crust; may occur on
land or beneath the ocean
Epicenter Vs. Focus
The Focus of an Earthquake…
o The focus of an
earthquake is where the
rocks break at least
several miles beneath
Earth’s surface.
o The epicenter is the
location on Earth’s
surface just above the
focus.

http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/Mining/Geoscience/SurficialGeologyandHazards/Earthquakes/PublishingImages/eq-2b.gif
 Magnitude Vs. Intensity
 The strength of an earthquake is measured in terms
of magnitude and intensity.
 Magnitude refers to the amount of energy released
by an earthquake from its focus.
 the amount of energy released by an earthquake
measured by its magnitude
 Intensity measures how much damage earthquakes
cause on the surface or the effects of destruction of
buildings, infrastructures, crops, as well as number
of casualties on earth.
 Richter scale
 In measuring an
earthquake’s magnitude,
we use the Richter scale
which was developed by
Charles F. Richter, an
American seismologist.
PHIVOLCS
In the Philippines, we use the PHIVOLCS
(Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology) Earthquake Intensity Scale
in measuring the earthquake’s intensity.
PHIVOLCS monitors volcano,
earthquake, and tsunami activity, and
issues warnings as necessary.
 Assignment
1. What are the effects of
earthquakes?
2. What are the Do’s and Don’ts
Before, During After and an
earthquake?