Earth's Layers

Crust: The thin, outermost layer where we live. It's divided into continental crust (land) and oceanic crust (under the oceans).

Mantle: Semi-solid layer that causes plates to move.
The movement of the mantle causes tectonic plates to move.

Outer Core: Liquid metal-- creates Earth's magnetic field. It's extremely hot, with temperatures ranging from 4,000-6000c.

Inner Core: Solid iron and nickel. The Inner Core is about as hot as the surface of the sun!

What are Tectonic Plates?

What are Tectonic Plates?

The largest plate is the Pacific Plate.

​Fun Fact

Earth's crust is broken into large pieces called Tectonic Plates.



Plates float on the mantle and move about 1 inch per year.

Divergent: Plates move apart.(Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

Convergent: Plates collide.
(Mount Everest)

Transform: Plates slide past each other. (San Andreas Fault)

Plate Boundaries

Effects of
Plate Movement

Caused by transform boundaries.

​Earthquakes

Often found at convergent boundaries.

​​Volcanoes

​Happens when plates collide.

​Mountain Formation