Be able to distinguish between oceanic and
continental crust
Structure of Earth
Earth is a large sphere of gasses, liquids and
solids flying through space.
These different components are arranged in
layers.
Each layer has a specific role in supporting
life and keeping our planet in a constant state of change.
Only write down the highlighted lines.
Sketch this diagram into your book
Pātai: What is Earth made of?
If it were possible to dig to the centre of the
Earth, what would you find?
Crust: The rocky, outer
layer beneath your feet.
Mantle: The semi-liquid,
very high temperature layer below the crust.
Core: The layer at the
centre. This layer is divided into two sections, the liquid
outer core and the solid inner
core.
The Crust
There are two types of crust that separate us from
the extremely hot mantle below our feet. The first we are very familiar
with, and the second is obvious once pointed out!
Oceanic Crust is 5-10km
thick and made up mostly of denser rocks like basalt.
Continental Crust is 30-50km
thick and made up mostly of less dense rocks like granite.
Athenosphere/Lithosphere are fancy words
for parts of the mantle.
The Core
Outer Core: Around 2,200km
thick and made of molten nickel and iron (around 4,500C). It spins
around as Earth rotates and is responsible for Earth’s magnetic
field.
Inner Core: It is solid and
around 1,250km thick. It is around 6,000C but is under such great
pressure that it remains solid (not liquid).
