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2. The lnte r of the Earth

ave you ever wondered what lies below the is the thinnest of the three layers. The thickness
surface of the Earth? Is it solid rock all the the crust, however, varies widely. It is thicker
way down? Or is it a liquid ball with a thin solid the continents, ranging from 35 to 70 km.
crust? thinner under the seas, with an average thi
\When the Earth was formed around billion years of 5-7 km. The crust is made up mainly of sili
5
ago, it was a molten ball of rock. As it cooled, the of aluminium, potassium and sodium. Thenetr
denser or heavier materials sank down and the it is also called the Sial (silica + aluminiumr.
lighter materials foated up to form the crust that crust forms just 1% of the Eartht volume.

you see. At present, the interior of the Earth is like

an onion-with several concenffic layers one inside c
R
U
the other. Or you could think of it as an apple. Just s 2
T I
as an apple is made up of skin, pulp and core, so is 0 500 "C
0

the Earth made up of three main layers-the crust, K

M
the mande and the core. The thin outermost layer is + 3700<
called the crust, the innermosr pan is called rhe core,
and the part in between them is called rhe mande.
Temperature, pressure and densiry increase as we 4300qC
move from the surface to the interior of the Earth.
Crust 5'70 Km Cross-sectian of the Earth-not to scale

rffs #x,&rurd"e'

!' The mande is situated just beneath the crusc

is about 2900 km thick. Based on its chemi
composition, it is divided into the upper m
and the lower mantle.

The upper mande is a thin, stiff layer con

mainly of the minerals silica and magnesi
Therefore it is called the Sima. It is found from
rHf cR{"dsr to 300 km below the surface of the Earth.
The crust is the uppermost layer of the Earth. It The lower mande extends from around 300

rQj
 2900 km. It is a zone of mixed minerals such
iron, magnesium, aluminium and silicon. The
average temperatures here are 3000 'C. The lower
mantle is semi-solid, and materials here can move
slowly in a plastic manner. The molten material
in the lower mantle is called magma, which flows
out as lava during volcanic eruptions.
The Earth is also separated into layers based on
physical behaviout or the way the layers move. On
this basis, the topmostlayer of the Earth is called
the lithosphere. The lithosphere consists of the
crust and the outer part of the upper mantle. It is
rigid and brittle. The lithosphere floats on top of
r semiJiquid layer known as the asthenosphere.
The asthenosphere is the ductile (capable of being
bent) inner layer of the upper mantle. (The upper
nantle has a stiff outer layer and a semi-solid inner
.aver. This inner layer is called the asthenosphere.)
The lower mantle is called mesosphere.
iHE CS&fr
lhe innermost layer of the Earth is the core. The
:edius of the core is about 3500 km. The core is
Lithosphere {rieid)
A*thenosphere (plastic)
l
l
I
Me*osphere {rigrd}
OuterCore (tiquid)
Inner Ccre {solid}
as further divided into the upper core and the inner
core. The outer core is 2300 km thick and the inner
core is 1200 km thick. The upper core is so hot that it
is molten (liquid core); the lower core, though hotter,
is under such extreme pressure that it remains solid
(solid core). The temperature in the core is hotter
than that on the Sun's surface. The intense heat from
the inner core causes material in the outer core and
the inner mantle to move around.
The dominant minerals here are nickel and iron.
So this laver is also known as the Nife. ('Fe'comes
trom rhe scientific name for iron-the Latin word
_ferntm.)
A cr tv trv FoR FoRMATtvE AssEsstvtENT
Nfake a model of the interior of the Earth. You
could use a rubber ball for this purpose. Cut off
a quarrer of the ball. Use chart paper to cut out
a circle of the same diameter as that of the ball.
Draw and colour the different layers that make
up the interior of the Earth. Now fold it in haf
and paste it carefully within the cut portion of
the ball. Colour and paint the ball to make it
look like the Earth.
ffi#E,{s AND MINERAIS
The outermost layer of the Earth, the lithosphere, is
made of solid materials called rocks. Rocks are solid
Arockformationof sandstone. Note the a3c-t-: *.r.- lr:rui'
Sedimefitart rou
iF
 EXPLORE 5OME MORE...
the interior of
Geologisls originolly clossified
the Earth into three loyers: the litl'osphere,
the pyrosphere ond the borysphere. These
correspond to the crust, the mantle ond the
co?e ?espectively.
6378 km
substances formed by one or more minerals which
naturally occur on the Eartht surface. Sandstone,
gypsum, dolomite, marble and limestone, are some
examples of rocks. Most rock-forming minerals
are silicates. Rocks vary in their mineral content,
colour, size and texture.
Minerals are naturally occurring substances. They
have definite structure, physical properties and
chemical composition.
A lump of coal
An *ff"sh*re *i!-rig driIIing,f*r pe*oleum
Types of lvlinerals
There are two types of minerals-organic
inorganic.
Oacnrttc AtNfRAts
Organic minerals are formed from dead and
animal and plant material trapped undergro
Some examples are coal, petroleum and natural s
These are also called fossil fuels. They are impo-
sources ofenergy.
Fossil fuels are formed from the remains
plants and animals that lived long ago. Ther-
non-renewable resources of energy.
fruonc*rulr ffIJVrRAts
Inorganic minerals are either metallic or
metallic in nature. Some of the metallic mi
are iron, aluminium, gold, lead, silver and co
Silicon, sulphur and phosphorus are some exarn
of non-metallic minerals.
A pierc af irr:n *re {ir*n f*uwd ir tfue *atur*l state)
 Types al racks
Stotutnteny RocKs
The major three rypes of rocks Over a period of several thousand
are igneous rocks, years, sediments
sedimentary rocks and metamorpii. carried b1' agenrs of gradation
rocks. iik. warer, ice,
rvind and rhe sea ,re deposited
in layers over rhe
lourcus Rocrs Earrh. The sedimenrs may consist
of weathered
The hot lava that flows out and fragmen red rock rnr r..irlr,
during volcanic eruptions micro_organisms,
cools down, solidifies over and plant and animal remains.
a period oftime and forms
igneous rocks. The word igneous As the deposirion oisedime
is derived from nr builds up, the pressure
:he Latin word ignis,meaning,fire,. exerted by the upper lar-ers squeezes
rhe sediment
igneous rocks are also called into layered rocks ca.lled sed-imentan-
primaryrocks. primary rocks. Thus,
rocks formed on the surface sedimentary rocks are formed bv
of the Earth are called rhe hardening and
extrusive rocks. They have a fine cementing oflayers of sedimenrs.
grained strucrure. The sedimenrs do
Basalt is an example. The not undergo any chemical change.
Deccan Tiap region in the
Deccan Plateau is made of
basaltic r*k]

Transport by rivers

fifagma (molten rock) that @ Sedimentary rocks

rI
gets trapped in
veins deep inside the Earth Igneous rocks
cools down over
Metamorphic rocks
a long period of time and
forms rocks. These
nmary rocks are called intrusive Formation oJ sedimentary rocks
rocks.

Veins of intrusive rack

Shale

'TD
 the parent rock undergoes a chemical change.
Weathering is the breaking up or disintegration
and fragmentation of rock material exposed to Metamorphic rocks may be further metamoryhorud
agents of gradation like wind, water, ice, ,etc. if they are exposed to high heat and pressure rm
even longer periods of time. Some examplc d
Gradation refers to the continuous process of
levelling of the Eartht surface.
metamorphic changes include the changing c"
clay into slate, limestone into marble and c,cC
Generally sedimentary rocks form in river beds, into diamond. Gneiss and quartzite are two ods
lake beds and ocean beds. Sedimenrary rocks well- known examples of metamorphic rock.
consist of clearly demarcated layers. The organic
matter trapped between the sedimentary layers gets The Rack Cycle
converted to fossil fuels like petroleum and natural The rockqycle shows howthe formation ofdiffereun
gas. Shale, sandstone and conglomerare are some types of rocks is interrelated. fu you know, igneo*ur
examples of sedimentary rocks. rocks are made by the cooling and solidificao,cm
of molten magma. They are considered to be &c
{Vl t r a *a a N Pr,r{ fl #ct{s
primary rocks or parent rocks of the crust. \\1r@
Under conditions of intense hear and pressure
rocks are subjected ro weathering and erosic,nu-
existing rocks metamorphose, or change complerel1,,
sediments are formed, which get compacted and
into new kinds of rocks. Such rocks are called
cemented over time and become sedimenrarr
metamorphic rock. The x,ord metamorphic
rocks. \il/hen sedimentary and igneous rock a-rrr
is derived from the Greek nteta-, which means
exposed to very high heat and pressure, rhern
'change' and tnorphe-, which means 'forrn. Here

Rock Cycle in Earth' s Crust

Burial

\",
""e

..: i<C Dolished diamond. *J*{* tia&.

: tit,ent tt is irom toal,
 :come metamorPhic rocks. Under extreme heat,
. ' e r/ rock melts to become magma. Thus' rocks
:insform from one to another.
-ises sf rosks and Ynira*ral*
. The minerals in the soil provide nutrients that
plants need.
. Hard and large blocks of rock are used for
:onstruction work.
0 Gtossary
rial: the crust; mostly silicates of aluminium
ind potassium.
:ima: the upper mantle; mostly silicates and
::ragnesium minerals
\ite: the core; mostlY nickel and iron
:lasticr (when referring to semi-solid
capable of moving slowly
=arerials)
:ragma: the molten rock material in the
.,,ru'er mantle
i.\'a! magma released onto the surface of
:::e Earth
::ineral: a naturally occurring substance
..g., coal, metals)
, rganic: obtained from living maffer
rorganic: obtained from non-living
::ltter
liadaticn: the continuous process of
.', elling of the surface of the Earth
., catherins: breaking up of rocks into
t::.qments when exposed to wind, water,
::. etc.
o Rocks with adequate mineral content (ores) are
used in industry.
o N{inerals (precious metals and gemstones) are
also used in making jewellerY.
i t,rr't rv f,#ft S#e;Md??Hr 455r5:-$&js&iT
,4
Group proiect: Collect different kinds of
rocks (or their pictures) and write in detail
;rbour any one of them.
I tn srieJ
The E^anh is made of three layers-the crust, the
mande and the core.
The crust {i-"0 km rhick) is the outermost and
thinnesr laver. The mantle (2900 km thick) is made
of the upper mantle and the semi-solid inner mantle'
The crust and rhe outer Parr ofthe upper mande form
the lithosphere.
) The semi-solid lou'er pan of the uPPer mantle is the
asthenosphere.
) The core (3i0O km fiick) is made of the molten
upper core and the solid inner core.
) Organic minerals (fossil iuels, like' coal and
peuoleum) are formed over millions of years from
the buried remains oi planrs and animals'
) Inorganic minerals can be metdlic (e'g', iron) or
non-metallic ie.g.. sulphur).
) Igneous rocks are formed when volcanic lava
solidifies.
) Sedimentan- rocks are formed when deposited
materials are cemented over time.
Meamorphic rocks are formed when igneous and
sedimenmry rocks undergo chemical changes under
intense heat and pressure.
The rock cycle shows how the formation of different
rocks is interrelated.
) Rocla and minerals are essential for soil formation'
construction, industrial use, etc.