Layers of the Earth

The 4 main layers of the earth are the Crust, Mantle, Outer Core and Inner Core

CRUST

CRUST - is the outermost and thinnest layer of the Earth (around 5 to 70 km deep).
Made up of mostly Silicon (Si) and Oxygen. (O)

CRUST There are TWO TYPES!

Oceanic Crust - the crust that lies beneath the ocean bed. Thinner, younger.

Continental Crust - the land. Older, thicker.

MANTLE

MANTLE is the thickest layer of the earth. The semi-liquid sort of like a malleable plastic (ooey-gooey) and makes up 84% of earth's volume.
Mostly made up of Iron (Fe) and Magnesium (Mg).

OUTER CORE

OUTER CORE - is located beneath the mantle (2,200 km thick). It is made up of hot, molten iron and nickel (up to 5,000°C). This layer spins as the planet rotates and creates Earth's magnetic field, which helps to protect us from the Sun's solar radiation.
Mostly Iron. (Fe)

INNER CORE

INNER CORE - is the deepest layer of the Earth. It’s about 1,230 to 1,530 km thick and can be as hot as the surface of the sun, about 5505 °C. Like the outer core, it is made up of iron and nickel, but due to high pressure, these metals remain solid. 

​Hot water rises

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Cool water sinks​

Convection Currents happen in the mantle

​Hot magma rises

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Cool magma sinks​