Internal Structure of the Earth

Structure of the Earth

 Earth’s Interior is divided into 3 layers
that have very different properties:
 Crust
 Mantle
 Core
 Our knowledge of t
hese layers has co
me mainly from the
study of earthquake
waves.
How Earth Began
How Earth Began
 As material accumulated to form Earth-high velocity impact of nebular
debris and decay of radioactive elements caused the temperature of Ear
th increase.

 During time of intense heating, Earth became hot enough. Iron and Nic
kel began to melt and sank toward the center of the Earth.

 This process produced Earth’s dense iron rich core.

 This early period resulted in process of chemical differentiation.

 Light masses of molten rock rose toward the surface, where they solidi
fied to produce crust. Therefore, rock materials are enriched in Oxygen
-Seeking elements such as silicon and aluminum.

 Early period of chemical segregation established three basic divisions

of Earth’s interior.
 The Crust
 The crust is the outer-m
ost layer of the Earth.

 Itis between 5 and

70 kilometers thick.

 It is the thinnest of the Earth’s layers.

 It is where we live.
 Moho Discontinuity

An important internal boundary between the crust and the high velocity
portion of the uppermost mantle is another discontinuity, called the Moh
orovicˇ i´c discontinuity, or Moho for short. It is named for the Yugosl
avian seismologist who determined that seismic waves change at this d
epth due to sharp contrasts of materials and densities.
 The Crust
 The crust is made up mostly
of oxygen, silicon & aluminu
m.

 There are two ty

pes of crust
 Oceanic crust

 Continental cr
ust
Crust
 Crustal areas beneath mountain masses
extend deep, perhapsto 50–60 km (31–37
mi), whereas the crust beneath continental
interiors averages about 30 km (19 mi) in
thickness. Oceanic crust averages only 5
km (3 mi).
 Types of Crust
 Oceanic crust is the crus
t that lies below the Ear
th’s oceans.
 It consists mostly of bas
alt – a dark, dense igne
ous rock with a fine-grai
ned texture.
 Continental crust forms the continents and consi
sts mostly of granite - a less dense igneous rock
with larger crystals that is usually light in color.
 Types of Rocks Continental &
Oceanic
Continental crust is essentially granite; it is crystalline
and high in silica, aluminum, potassium, calcium, and
sodium. (Sometimes continental crust is called sial,
shorthand for silica and aluminum.) Continental
crust is relatively low in density, averaging 2.7 g/cm3
(or 2700 kg/m3).
■ Oceanic crust is basalt; it is granular and high in silica,
magnesium, and iron. (Sometimes oceanic crust is
called sima, shorthand for silica and magnesium.) It is
denser than continental crust, averaging 3.0 g/cm3
(or 3000 kg/m3).
  The next layer after t
The Mantle he crust is the mantle.

 It lies from about 40

to 2,900 kilometers
below the surface.
 It is much thicker th
an the crust.
 It contains about 6
7% of the Earth’s
 It is a layer of hot rock. mass.
 The mantle is denser than the crust.
 It consists of a number of zones.
 L
I
T
H
O
S
P
H
E
R
E

Click for graphic

 The crust and the uppermost part of the mantle

are very similar. They are both rigid.
 Together they are called the lithosphere.
 Litho means “stone.”
 The lithosphere is about 100 kilometers thick.
 The Mantle
 As you go deeper into t
he mantle, heat and pr
essure increase.
 This makes the rock le
ss rigid.
 It has the consistency
of tar and can bend much like plastic (semi molten).
 This plastic-like layer of the mantle is called the asthenos
phere.
 The lithosphere floats on top of the asthenosphere.
 Beneath the asthenosphere solid mantle material exten
ds all the way to Earth’s core.
 This lower solid part of the mantle is called the mesosphe
re.
Mantle

The lower and upper mantle represents about 80%

of Earth’s total volume. The mantle is rich in oxides of
iron and magnesium and silicates (FeO, MgO, and
SiO2), which are dense and tightly packed at depth,
grading to lesser densities toward the surface.
  The layer of the Earth that extends
The Core below the mantle to the center of t
he Earth is the core.
 The core makes up about 1/3 of the
Earth’s mass.
 It has two layers:
 A liquid outer core
 A solid inner core
 Both are made of iron and nickel.
 Despite enormous pressure, the molten metal of the
outer core behaves like a thick liquid.
 The inner core is a dense ball of solid metal.

 The pressure is so great that the iron atoms cannot s

pread out and become a liquid.
Earth’s Magnetic Field
 Currents in the liquid outer
core cause the solid inner c
ore to spin.
 The inner core spins at a
slightly faster rate than th
e rest of the planet.
 This movement creates t
he Earth’s magnetic field,
which causes the entire
Earth to act like a giant b
ar magnet.
 Review  The Earth is made of three basi
c layers.
 The crust and the top, rigid p
art of the mantle make up th
e lithosphere.
 The plastic-like layer of the
mantle is called the astheno
sphere.
 The innermost rigid part of t
he mantle is called the meso
sphere.
 The core has two parts.
 The outer core is liquid.
Chemical Physical  The inner core is solid.
divisions divisions
The Compositional (Chemical)
Layers of the Earth
THE END Q&A
 Review Questions
 Describe the Earth ’s inner structure, from
the center outward. What types of crust are
present? How are they different? What is the
Moho ?

 Diagram Earth’s interior in cross section, and

describe each distinct layer.
Quiz 1
Where is the Mohorovicic discontinuity found?

A. Between the crust and the mantle

B. Between the mantle and the outer core
C. Between the outer core and the inner core
D. At the very center of Earth
Ans Quiz 1

Between the crust and the mantle

Quiz 2

What is the lithosphere composed of?

A. The asthenosphere, the uppermost mantle, and the crust

B. The crust and the lower mantle
C. The crust and the uppermost mantle
D. The uppermost mantle and the athenosphere
Ans Quiz 2

The crust and the uppermost mantle

Quiz 3
What is the circulation within Earth’s outer core responsible for?

A. The holding of all objects to Earth’s surface

B. The generation of Earth’s magnetic field
C. The movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates
D. Earth’s rotation on its axis
Ans Quiz 3

The generation of Earth’s magnetic fiel

d
Review pages
Strahler, A.N, Physical Geography Page 380

Christopherson, R.W et al., Page 300-304 & 327 to 328

Review Slides
 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

The Compositional (Chemical)

Layers of the Earth
• The Earth is divided into three layers—the crust, th
e mantle, and the core—based on the chemical com
pounds that make up each layer.

• The Crust the outermost layer of the Earth –

•5 to 100 km thick
• the thinnest layer
•Made up of oxygen, silicon and aluminum (light
minerals)
•least dense
 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

The Compositional (Chemical)

Layers of the Earth
• The Earth is divided into three layers—the crust, th
e mantle, and the core—based on the chemical com
pounds that make up each layer.

• The Crust the outermost layer of the Earth –

•5 to 100 km thick
• the thinnest layer
•Made up of oxygen, silicon and aluminum (light
minerals)
•least dense
 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

The Composition of the Earth, continued

• There are two types of crust—continental and oc
eanic. Oceanic crust is thinner and denser than co
ntinental crust (made up of more iron, calcium and
magnesium--heavier minerals—than continents)
 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

The Compositional (Chemical)

Layers of the Earth
• The Earth is divided into three layers—the crust, th
e mantle, and the core—based on the chemical com
pounds that make up each layer.

• The Crust the outermost layer of the Earth –

•5 to 100 km thick
• the thinnest layer
•Made up of oxygen, silicon and aluminum (light
minerals)
•least dense
 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

The Composition of the Earth, continued

• There are two types of crust—continental and oc
eanic. Oceanic crust is thinner and denser than co
ntinental crust (made up of more iron, calcium and
magnesium--heavier minerals—than continents)
 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

The Composition of the Earth, continued

• The Mantle the layer of the Earth between the cru
st and the core.
•much thicker than the crust (2,900 km)
•67% of the mass
•more magnesium, less aluminum and silicon th
an crust
•more dense than crust

• The crust is too thick to drill through, so scientists

must draw conclusions about the composition and o
ther properties of the mantle from observations mad
e on the Earth’s surface.
 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

The Composition of the Earth, continued

• The Core - the central part of the Earth that lies
below the mantle.
•makes up 33% of Earth’s mass
•radius 3,430 km
•made mostly of iron and smaller amounts of n
ickel (heavy minerals)
•most dense layer
Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth
Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

The Physical Structure of the Earth

The Earth is divided into five physical layers:

1. The lithosphere
2. The asthenosphere
3. The mesosphere
4. The outer core
5. The inner core

Each layer has its own set of physical properties.

 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

Physical Structure of the Earth

• lithosphere -the outermost, rigid layer of the Earth.

•made of two parts—the crust and the rigid upper part

of the mantle.

•divided into pieces that are called tectonic plates.

 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

Physical Structure of the Earth

•asthenosphere is a plastic layer of the mantle on w

hich the tectonic plates move.

•made of solid rock that flows very slowly.

Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth
 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

Physical Structure of the Earth

•mesosphere is the strong, lower part of the mantle

between the asthenosphere and the outer core.

• The prefix meso- means “middle.”

 Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth

Physical Structure of the Earth

• The Earth’s core is divided into two parts.

• The outer core is the liquid layer of the Earth’s core t

hat lies beneath the mantle.

• The inner core is the solid, dense center of our plane

t that extends from the bottom of the outer core to the
center of the Earth, about 6,380 km beneath the surfa
ce.
Chapter 15 Section 1 Inside the Earth