Final Answer:
1. Crust — hard and rigid, the Earth’s outermost and thinnest layer. Only a few miles (5 km) thick under the oceans and averaging 20 miles thick under the continents.
2. Mantle — Divided into two sub regions, upper and lower, this dense layer made of hot semi rock is located directly below the crust and is about 1800 miles thick.
3. Outer Core — The only liquid layer of the Earth — a sea of mostly iron and nickel. It is roughly 1800 – 3200 miles below the surface and about 1400 miles thick. Temperatures reach 4000–5000 °C.
4. Inner Core — An extremely hot, solid sphere of mostly iron and nickel at the center of the Earth. It is 3200 to 2to 3960 miles below the surface and about 750 miles in diameter.
Additional blanks:
- Lithosphere — …plates of tectonic plates that hold the continents and oceans
- Asthenosphere — The plates of the lithosphere move (slowly) on this hot, malleable semi liquid zone…
How scientists discovered the layers: By studying earthquake waves (seismic waves) that travel through Earth — how they bend, speed up, or stop tells us about the materials inside.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of earth structure worksheet.
