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Layers of the Earth . Crust Upper Mantel Transition Region Lower Mantel “D” layer Outer Core Inner Core http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xLiOFjemWQ&feature=related. Inner Core. 5150-6378 kilometers 4300 degrees C Iron
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Layers of the Earth • Crust • Upper Mantel • Transition Region • Lower Mantel • “D” layer • Outer Core • Inner Core http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xLiOFjemWQ&feature=related
Inner Core • 5150-6378 kilometers • 4300 degrees C • Iron • Is unattached to the mantle, being suspended by the molten outer core. • This field is also known as Earth's magnetic field, which is responsible for the functioning of mechanical and biological compasses. • This field also causes a subtle jerking motion in the Earth's daily rotation. • About 10% of this layer is composed of sulfur and/or oxygen due to the fact that these two elements are abundant in the cosmos and dissolve readily in molten iron.
Outer Core • 2890-5150 kilometers • The inner core is composed mostly of iron (Fe) and is so hot that the outer core is molten, with about 10% sulphur • represents about 4% of the mantle-crust mass.
“D” layer • The D" layer of Earth is about 3% of Earth's mass • is 125 to 188 miles (200 to 300 kilometers) thick and covers about 4% of the mantle-crust mass. • This layer, in terms of whether it is part of the lower mantle or an independent layer is still somewhat unclear.
Lower Mantel • Most of the Earth's mass is in the mantle. • 1000 degrees C, the mantle is solid but can deform slowly in a plastic manner. • Two layers • lower mantle~ includes silicon, magnesium, oxygen, some iron, calcium, and aluminum. This layer is comprised of 72.9% of the mantle-crust mass.
Transition region • 7.5% of Earth's mass • a depth of 250-406 miles (400-650 kilometers). • This layer is also known as the mesosphere and is 11.1% of the mantle-crust. • It is made of mainly basaltic magmas with amounts of calcium, aluminum and garnet (an aluminum-bearing silicate mineral). • The layer becomes dense when the garnet mineral cools but is buoyant and light when subject to heat due to the low melting points.
Mantel • Most of the Earth's mass is in the mantle. • 1000 degrees C, the mantle is solid but can deform slowly in a plastic manner. • Two layers • upper mantle~ this part of the crust composes of 15.3% of the total mantle-crust mass and is made of crystalline forms of Olivine (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 and pyroxene (Mg,Fe)SiO3. The upper mantle makes up 10.3% of the Earth's mass, extending a depth of 6-250 miles (10-400 kilometers).
Crust • 0-40 kilometers • O degrees C • The outer most layer, the crust, is categorized into two parts, • the Oceanic crust and the continental crust. • The Oceanic crust is the smallest part of Earth, only0.099% of its mass and reaching a small depth of 0-6 miles (0-10 kilometers. The ocean floor is covered in basalt originating from volcanic activity. • Continental crust: The second smallest area of the Earth making up only 0.374% of the Earth's mass and extending a short depth of 0 - 31 miles (0-50 kilometers). Looking at the percent by composition, the continental crust makes up only 0.554% of the mantle-crust mass. The layer is composed primarily of crystalline rocks made of low-density buoyant minerals dominated mostly by quartz (SiO2) and feldspars (metal-poor silicates). This is the outer part of the Earth composed essentially of crystalline rocks.
Bringing it all together • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2HliYJOzuE&feature=related
Sources • http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/interior.html • http://library.thinkquest.org/28327/html/universe/solar_system/planets/earth/interior/layers_of_earth.html • science.pppst.com/layers.html