Structure of the Earth

When studying plate-tectonics (and volcanoes and earthquakes) the best starting point is examining the structure of
the earth. The earth is very similar to a hard boiled egg in its structure. In the centre is a solid core. Surrounding the
core is the inner core, then the mantle, which is covered in the earths 'skin' or crust.

CORE
• The inner core is the centre of the Earth and it is the
hottest part of the Earth. It is a solid mass of iron and
nickel. The temperature of the core is around 5500°C.
Even though it's just as hot as the outer core, there is
such high pressure that it stays solid.

• The outer core is the layer around the inner core. It is

made up of iron and nickel though it is in liquid form.
I’t is a huge sphere of molten iron (Fe), floating and
flowing around the inner core. Especially important is
the idea that the outer core creates the Earth's
magnetic field.
MANTLE

This layer is made up of semi-molten rock, known as magma. There

Upper mantle and the lower mantle with a very small differences
between them.
• The upper mantle has Olivine (a very special rock), compounds with
silicon dioxide, and a substance called Peridotite.
• The lower mantle is more solid than the upper mantle. It has a lot of
that Olivine rock, iron, magnesium, and many silicate compounds
(those are ones with SiO2).
• The temperature is lowest immediately beneath the crust and
increases with depth.
• The highest temperatures occur where the mantle material is in
contact with the heat-producing core.
The temperature of the crust increases with
• The temperature increases by 30 °C for every kilometer in the upper
depth, reaching values from about 200 °C to 400
part of the crust - geothermal gradient
°C at the boundary with the underlying mantle.
EARTH'S CRUST - This layer is between 0-60km thick
• There are two different types of crust:
OCEANIC CRUST CONTINENTAL CRUST
Where Underlies the ocean basins Underlies the continents
Types of rocks The thin oceanic crust is composed of the thicker continental crust is composed
primarily of basalt. primarily of granite.

The dominant sial (made of rocks rich in sima (made of rocks rich in silicates and
chemical silicates and aluminum minerals) magnesium minerals)
elements

Size Most widespread and accounts for 59.5% of Involves about 34.7% of the Earth's surface and
the total Earth's surface and it builds the makes up the highest part of the lithosphere.
largest part of the World Ocean.

Thickness Its ranges from 5 to 20 km. Its thickness is 35 to 50 km. The sedimentary
layer is fairly thin and consists of sedimentary
rocks.
In the formation of this layer, erosion processes
played a major role. The thickness of the
sediment layer reaches a thickness of 15 km
(Gang River) somewhere, while in some areas it
does not exist at all (parts of Scandinavia).

In its composition of Earth’s crust are s There is a TRANSITIONAL TYPE between the continental and the
oceanic crust. The transitional type of the Earth's crust covers about 5.8% of the surface. These are the most
stable parts of the Earth, where the oceanic crust flows gradually into the continental coral. Such types are
called platforms or shields.
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 Composition of Earth’s crust
• The Earth's crust builds minerals and rocks of various physic-chemical characteristics.
• Minerals are a set of atoms, ions and molecules, which are interconnected in a single unit by different forces
and connections. These are homogeneous bodies that retain the same physical-chemical properties in each
of their smallest parts. Most often occur in crystalline form. Crystallization solutions of different saturation
are formed. Various elements take part in the minerals, of which oxygen is 46.6%, silicon with 27.7%,
aluminum with 8.1%, etc.
• A mineral is a naturally occurring substance that is solid and inorganic representable by a chemical
formula, usually abiogenic, and has an ordered atomic structure.
• There are over 4,900 known mineral species; over 4,660 of these have been approved by the
International Mineralogical Association
• The study of minerals is called mineralogy.

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Composition of Earth’s crust
• Rocks are clumps or a physical mix of more minerals. They differ in their physical
properties, and their mineral composition
• According to this, the rocks are divided into
1. Igneous rocks – result from volcanic activity (granit, basalt)
2. Sedimentary rocks – usually founds in layers. They are made from small particles
of other rocks, from the remains of plants and animals (sandstone, limestone)
3. Metamorphic rocks – have been changed by great heat or pressure (marble, slate)
Rock structure
• Rocks are made of different materials and put
together in different ways. This is called rock
structure.
• The structure of the rock affect its resistance to
erosion and permeability to water.
• Resistance – some rocks are more resistant to
erosion than others.
• Hard rocks are difficult to break down and wear
away (hills and mountains are formed from hard
rocks).
• Soft rocks are less resistant to erosion and easy to
wear away (valleys are formed in soft rocks)
• Permability – rocks are also affected in different ways by water. They can be:
1. Permeable – allows water to pass trough it (landscapes without any surface rivers),
2. Impermeable – does not allows water to pass trough it („waterproof“),
3. Porous – stores water in tiny pores.
 Use of rocks
• Building - granite, gabro, sandstone, limestone, slate, marble
• Thermal energy – coal
• Tourism – limestone, granite, basalt
• Industry – coal