The Earth and Life

Sciences:

Earth’s Internal Structure

Earth’s Internal Structure
Learning Objectives
•Describe the uniqueness of the Earth
•Introduce the four subsystems of the Earth
•Discuss each composition of the Subsystems
•Differentiate each Subsystems from one another
The Earth
The Earth
• Composed of four main layers, starting with an
inner core as the planet’s center, enveloped by
the outer core, mantle and crust.
The Earth
Internal Structure
oCore
The Earth
Internal Structure
oInner core
• A solid sphere made of iron and nickel metals
about 1,221 kilometers in radius
• Has a density of 12.8g/cm3 at the top of the
section and 13.1 g/cm3 at its deepest point
• Temperature reaches as high as 5400 degrees
Celsius
The Earth
Internal Structure
oOuter core
• Layer surrounding the inner core
• About 2,300 kilometers thick, made of iron and
nickel fluids
• Has density of 9.9 g/cm3 at the top and 12.2 g/cm3
at the bottom where it changes into the inner core
The Earth
Internal Structure
oCore
The Earth
Internal Structure
oMantle
The Earth
Internal Structure
oMantle
• The thickest layer located between the outer core
and the crust
• About 2,900 kilometers thick and has the
consistency of caramel.
• Hot, viscous mixture of molten rock
The Earth
Internal Structure
oMantle
• Comprise of a variety of oxides which includes
oxygen, silicon and magnesium
• Has density of 3.4 g/cm3 at the top and 5.6 g/cm3
at the bottom where it changes into the outer
core
The Earth
Internal Structure
oMantle
The Earth
Internal Structure
oCrust
The Earth
Internal Structure
oCrust
• The thinnest and outermost layer of the Earth
• Goes about 30 kilometers deep on average land
• At the ocean bed, the crust is thinner and
extends about 5 kilometers from the sea floor to
the top of the mantle
The Earth
Internal Structure
oCrust
• Subdivided into two types:
1. Oceanic Crust
2. Continental Crust
The Earth
o Crust
1. Oceanic Crust
 Forms the bed of the world’s oceans and is thinner
and younger as it is constantly renewed when it is
sub ducted into the mantle
 Reappears as new crustal material at subterranean
constructive margins, such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
 6km thick on average
The Earth
o Crust
2. Continental Crust
 Older and much thicker (36 km thick on average)
 Less dense material than that which forms oceanic crust
 Floats on the mantle with more buoyancy , the denser
oceanic crust that descends into the mantle when the
two types of crustal material collide at destructive
margins.
The Earth
Internal Structure
oCrust
The Earth
Internal Structure
• Activity:
Directions: Using a picture of a hard-boiled egg cut in
half, paste the picture in a short bond paper and
identify which of the layers of the egg would represent
each Earth’s layer. Label your picture accordingly. (15
pts.)