#3 Layers & Spheres

Earth's layers and spheres, from the inside out

1. Physical Earth
1. Inner Core - solid, dense, heavy ball of
iron and nickel
2. Outer Core - Viscous mix of heavy
metals (moves with earth’s rotation causing
earth’s magnetic field)
3. Mantle - plastic-like, flows slowly in
circular motions
4. Crust - Oceanic (thin but dense) and
Continental (thicker but less dense)
Layers and Spheres

2. INNER CORE - 800 miles in diameter
OUTER CORE - 1400 miles across
MANTLE - 1800 miles across
CRUST - 4-40 miles thick
Notice how the circular
movement within the
mantle PUSHES crustal
material up in some areas
and PULLS it below in
other areas...

3. Earth’s Spheres
Atmospheric Layers
TROPOSPHERE - surface, weather
STRATOSPHERE - Ozone layer, jet
airline travel
MESOSPHERE - Ionosphere
THERMOSPHERE - satellites,
auroras, Space Shuttle, re-entry