Lesson 5.

Overview of the Layers of

Earth
 determine the layers of
Objectives 1 Earth based on chemical
At the end composition; and
of the
lesson, you describe the layers of
should be 2 Earth based on physical
able to: properties.
 Learn about It!

Earth
• Earth is a dynamic planet
composed of interacting
subsystems, namely:
atmosphere, hydrosphere,
lithosphere, and the biosphere.
• The internal structure of Earth
can be classified into
compositional layers and
mechanical layers.
Earth is a dynamic planet
 Learn about It!

Compositional Layers of Earth

• The compositional layers
include the crust, mantle,
and core.
• These layers are
differentiated in terms of
the material it is made of.

Compositional Layers of Earth

 Learn about It!

Compositional Layers of Earth

• The crust is the
outermost layer of Earth.
Its thickness range from
5 to 80 km and mainly
composed of granites
and basalts.

Compositional Layers of Earth

 Learn about It!

Compositional Layers of Earth

• The mantle which is about
84% of Earth’s volume extends
up to 2 900 km thick.
• It is composed of ultramafic
silicates materials that are
composed of silicon and
oxygen atoms.

Compositional Layers of Earth

 Learn about It!

Compositional Layers of Earth

• The core is the innermost
layer of Earth which is around
3 480 km thick.
• Its composition is thought to
be mainly 85% iron, 5%
nickel, and other trace
amounts of oxygen and
sulfur.

Compositional Layers of Earth

 Learn about It!

Mechanical Layers of Earth

• The lithosphere is the rigid

outermost layer of Earth that
is composed of crust and the
uppermost layer of the
mantle.
• It extends from 70 to 150 km
in depth.

Mechanical Layers of Earth

 Learn about It!

Mechanical Layers of Earth

• Underneath the lithosphere is

the asthenosphere which is
the plastic layer of the mantle.
• It lies between 70 to 660 km
beneath Earth’s surface.
• Deformation occurs where
materials ‘flow’ or change
shape.

Mechanical Layers of Earth

 Learn about It!

Mechanical Layers of Earth

• The mesosphere is the semi-

solid layer below the
asthenosphere.
• It is a region with high
temperature and pressure.
• The mesosphere extends up to 2
900 km in terms of thickness.

Mechanical Layers of Earth

 Learn about It!

Mechanical Layers of Earth

• The outer core is a liquid

innermost layer of Earth.
• The temperature in this layer is
very high causing iron and
nickel to melt. It is about 2300
km thick.

Mechanical Layers of Earth

 Learn about It!

Mechanical Layers of Earth

• The inner core is the

innermost solid layer.
• The pressure in this region is
enough for the material to stay
solid. Its thickness is around 1
200 km.

Mechanical Layers of Earth

Key Points

The internal structure of Earth can be classified into

1 compositional layers and mechanical layers.

2 The compositional layers of Earth are crust, mantle,

and core.

The mechanical layers of Earth are lithosphere,

3 asthenosphere, mesosphere, outer core, and inner core.
 Check Your Understanding

Write true if the statement is correct.

Otherwise, write false.
1. The crust is mainly composed of granite and basalt which
are classified as sedimentary rocks.
2. Mantle comprises almost 8/10 of Earth’s volume.
3. The rocks found in the continental crust is lighter in color
than those in the oceanic crust.
4. Silicate materials are mostly found at the layer beneath the
outermost layer of Earth.
5. Lithosphere is the same as the crust.
 Challenge Yourself

What are the differences

between the layers of
Earth regarding its main
composition, depth, and
parts? Make a summary
table to show your answer.
 Bibliography

Carlson, Diane H. and Charles C. Plummer. 2009. Physical Geology: Earth Revealed, 8th Edition. New
York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Hefferan, Kevin and John O’Brien. 2010. Earth Materials. United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.

King, Hobart. “Transform Plate Boundary.” Geology.com. Accessed May 11, 2017. http://
geology.com/nsta/transform-plate-boundaries.shtml

Levin, Harold L. 2013. The Earth Through Time. United States of America: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Marshak, Stephen. 2009. Essentials of Geology 3rd Edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Stephen J. Reynolds, et al. 2013. Exploring Geology, 3rd Edition. United States: McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc.
 Bibliography

Tarbuck, Edward J. and Frederick J. Lutgens. 2015. Earth Science. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

United States Geological Survey. 1999. “J. Tuzo Wilson: Discovering transforms and hotspots” Accessed
May 11, 2017. https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/Wilson.html

United States Geological Survey. 2014. “Understanding Plate Motions” Accessed May 1, 2017.
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html