Earthsciencechapter4 1 101217094441 Phpapp01

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The

Earth is divided into three layersthe crust, the

mantle, and the corebased on the compounds that make up each layer.

The Crust Outermost layer of the Earth. The crust is 5 to 100 km thick, and is the thinnest layer of the Earth. There are two types of crustcontinental and oceanic.

Oceanic crust is thinner and denser than continental crust.

The Mantle Layer of the Earth between the crust and the core. Much thicker than the crust and contains most of the Earths mass.
The crust is too thick to drill through, so scientists must

draw conclusions about the composition and other properties of the mantle from observations made on the Earths surface.

The Core Central part of the Earth that lies below the mantle. Makes up about one-third of Earths mass.
Scientists think that the Earths core is made mostly of

iron and contains smaller amounts of nickel but almost no oxygen, silicon, aluminum, or magnesium.

The Earth is divided into ve physical layers:

The crust The lithosphere The asthenosphere The outer core The inner core

Each layer has its own set of physical properties.

Lithosphere The outermost, rigid layer of the Earth. The lithosphere is made of two parts
the crust and the rigid

upper part of the mantle.


The lithosphere is divided

into pieces that are called tectonic plates.

The asthenosphere Plastic layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move. Made of solid rock that ows very slowly.

The Earths core is

divided into two parts.


The outer core is the liquid

layer of the Earths core that lies beneath the mantle. The inner core is the solid, dense center of our planet that extends from the bottom of the outer core to the center of the Earth About 6,380 km beneath the surface.

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