THE EARTH'S LAYERS

THE INNER CORE

• 1221km in diameter
• (depth) 6371 km
• solid ball with iron, nickel, sulfur, and smaller amounts of other elements (only solid from pressure)
• between 9,000 and 13,000 degrees Fahrenheit
• 13% of the Earth's volume

OUTER CORE

• about 2266 km in diameter
• (depth) 5150 km
• liquid shell of iron with some amounts of nickel and sulfur
• perhaps 7,200 to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit
• 17.8% of Earth's volume

THE MANTLE

• about 4600 km in diameter
• ultramafic rock called peridotite hot enough to flow
• 7230 degrees fahrenheit
• 82% of the earths volume
• (depth) 2900 km

ASTHENOSPHERE

• about 177 km in diameter
• consists of molasses like magma (rocks in semi molten condition)
• 752 degrees fahrenheit
• 2.9% of the earth's volume
• (depth) about150 km

LITHOSPHERE

• about 100 km in diameter
• consists of a thin solid layer of rock
• 500 degrees fahrenheit
• 1.7% of the earth's volume
• (depth) about 40 km

CRUST

• ranges between 5 and 40 km in diameter
• solid that contains oxygen, silicon, iron, sodium, calcium
• 392 degrees fahrenheit
• .473% of Earths volume
• we don't drill to find the crust because we live on it

Scientists have been able to directly explore only the outer portion of the earth's crust. However, using seismic waves and other techniques, scientists have been able to gather information about all of the other layers that make up the earth.

SOURCES

• http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/inside-the-earth/
• http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys2900/homepages/Marianne.Hogan/inside.ht...