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Notes
CRUST :
Is the outermost layer on the earth.
(EGG SHELL)
Thickness varies. Under mountains
it can be as thick as 60 km and less
than 5 km under the ocean.
It is the least dense of all the layers.
(lightest layer)
It is made up of silicon and oxygen.
2 TYPES OF CRUST :
Oceanic crust is
very dense, made
of Basalt. (What
type of rock is
this?)
Continental crust
is less dense,
made of Granite.
BASALT
GRANITE
MANTLE :
Located below the crust. (Egg
White)
It is the largest layer (about 2900
km thick). Rock layers are movable.
(plastic)
Hot soften rocks made up of more
magnesium and iron.
Density increases with depth due
to increase in pressure.
LITHOSPHERE:
This is the crunchy layer of the Earth and
flexible like a plastic comb.
ASTHENOSPHERE:
This is the weak or soft part of the mantle.
Made of rock that flows slowly because of
convection currents and extreme heat.
Lithosphere floats on top of asthenosphere and
moves because of the convection currents.
Non
Newtonian Fluid
MESOSPHERE:
Strong, lowest part of mantle.
Almost fully solid because of pressure.
Outer Core :
is liquid and is made up of mostly iron
(easily magnetized) and about 2250 km
thick.
The movement of materials in the
liquid O.C. is inferred to be the cause of
Earths magnetic field!
Even though there is so much
pressure it should be solid, it is liquid
from the high heat.
Inner Core :
Is the center of the Earth 1200
km thick.
Its solid iron and nickel. Most
dense layer (heaviest)
The increased pressure causes
the I.C. to be solid
Do we need
Earths Iron
core?
Mystery of the
Core
How do we know?
We
Scientists
Why
In Review:
1. What are the 3 main layers of the Earth?
2.
3.
4.
In Review:
1. What are the 3 main layers of the Earth?
Crust, Mantle, Core
2.
In Review:
5. The motion in this layer is the reason Earth has
a magnetic field.
Outer core
6. What kind of Current is in the Mantle?
Convection Currents
7. Why have we never drilled into the Mantle
Because there is too much heat and pressure and it
is too difficult to drill through solid rock.
8. Which layers are solid? Which layers are
liquid? Which layers are something in between?
Solid: Crust, (Lithosphere, Mesosphere), Inner
Core
Just
How Hot??