Structure of the earth Earth was formed by accretion from a cloud of dust, gas ices, and stellar debris.

Gravity later sorted the components by density, separating Earth into layers. Because each deeper layer is denser than the layer above, we say Earth is density stratified. Although researchers have never directly collected samples from below the outermost layer of Earth, they have indirect evidence about the chemical composition, density, temperature, and thickness of earth layer of Earths interior. The first useful scientific classification of Earths interior emphasi ed chemical composition. Geologists named the layers crust, mantle and core. The crust The crust is the thin, relatively light weight outermost layer. !t accounts for only ".#$ of Earths total mass and less than %$ of its volume. The crust beneath the ocean differs in thickness, composition, and age from the crust of the continents. &ceanic crust' !t is thin and mostly basalt a heavy, dark(coloured rock composed largely of o)ygen, silicon, magnesium, and iron. !ts density is about *.+g,cm-. .ontinental crust' !t is thicker and the most common material is granite, a familiar light colored rock composed mainly of o)ygen, silicon and aluminum, its density is about *./ g,cm-.

The mantle The mantle, the layer beneath the crust, composed 01$ of Earths mass and 1-$ of its volume. 2antle materials are thought to contain mainly silicon and o)ygen with iron and magnesium. !ts average density is about #.3 g,cm-. The mantle is about *.+""km thick. The core The core, Earths innermost layer, consists mainly of iron 4+"$5 and nickel, along with silicon, sulfur, and heavy elements. The core accounts for about -%, 3$ of Earths mass and about %0$ of its volume. !ts average density is about %-g,cm- and its radius is appro)imately -#/"km. Physical properties 6ubdividing Earth on the basis of chemical composition does not always reflect the physical properties and behavior of rock materials in these layers. 7ifferent conditions of temperature and pressure prevail at different depths, and these conditions influence the physical properties of the materials sub8ected to them. 6labs of Earths relatively cool and solid crust and upper mantle float and move over the hotter, pliable 4deformable5 mantle layer directly below. 9hysical properties are more important than chemical ones in determining this movement, so geologists have devised a classification based on physical properties.

Lithosphere The lithosphere 4lithos, :rock;5 is Earths cool, rigid outer layer(%""(*"" km thick. The lithosphere comprises the continental and oceanic crusts and uppermost cool and rigid portion of the mantel. brittle

Asthenosphere The asthenosphere 4asthenes,;weak;5 is the hot, partially melted, slowly flowing layer of upper mantle below the lithosphere e)tending to a depth of about -3"km. Lower mantle The lower mantle e)tends to the core. The asthenosphere and the mantle below the asthenosphere 4the lower mantle5 have a similar chemical composition. Although it is hotter, because of rapidly increasing pressure the mantle below the asthenosphere does not melt. As a result, it is denser and flows more slowly. The Core The core has two parts. The outer core is a dense, viscous li<uid. The inner core is a solid with a ma)imum density about %0g,cm-. Both parts are very hot, with an average temperature of about 3,3"".. .uriously, the solid inner score also rotates eastward at a slightly faster rate than the mantle.

A cross section through Earth showing the internal layers. =ote in the e)panded section the relationship between lithosphere and asthenosphere, and between crust and mantle. This representation is not to scale.