The Earth: structure and properties

In a nutshell 

The Earth's structure consists of a crust, mantle and core; each one of these components has unique properties, varying by size and temperature.

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Composition of the Earth

Earth is made up of different layers called the crust, mantle and core. ​The crust is the outermost layer and the core is the innermost layer

Properties of the crust

The crust is the outermost layer of Earth and lies above the mantle. It is the thinnest layer of the Earth and there's actually two types of crust- the continental crust and the oceanic crust. they are both made from rock.

Properties of oceanic and continental crust

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Properties of the mantle 

The mantle is found between the core and crust of the Earth. It is made up of magma (molten rock). The rock is molten due to high temperatures in the mantle (they range from $$1000-3700~\degree C$$)

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Tip: molten means melted and so magma has a thick, fluid-like structure, which can flow very slowly.

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Properties of the core 

The core is the innermost layer of the Earth. It is the thickest layer of the Earth and it is actually made up of two parts- the inner core and the outer core. The inner core is the hottest layer of the Earth. The core is made up of two main metals: nickel and iron

Properties of the inner and outer core

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Tip: Although the inner core is the hottest layer of Earth, it is solid because the pressure is immensely high, preventing the iron and nickel metal from melting.

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