Earth's Crust: Continental and Oceanic

Earth's Crust

• The crust is the outermost and thinnest layer of the Earth.

Types of Crust

• There are two regions of the crust: Continental Crust and Oceanic Crust.

Continental Crust

• This type of crust is where landforms such as volcanoes, valleys, and mountain ranges are formed.
• Thicker than the Oceanic Crust.
• Generally much older than the Oceanic Crust.

Oceanic Crust

• Involved in tectonic activity, including earthquakes, mountains, and volcanoes.
• Thinner in comparison to the Continental Crust.
• Younger than the Continental Crust due to constant formation at the mid-ocean ridges through Seafloor Spreading.

The Earth's Layers

• The mantle is the thickest layer of the Earth, comprising semi-liquid rock due to high pressure and heat.
• It is where tectonic plates are in constant motion.

The Lithosphere

• The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle.
• It is rigid and brittle, prone to breaking and forming faults.
• The lithosphere is crucial for terrestrial life, forming the Earth's landmasses and ocean basins.

The Asthenosphere

• The asthenosphere is a soft and weak layer made of hot, molten material.
• It has the ability to flow, allowing convection currents to occur.
• These convection currents, driven by heat from the Earth's interior, are responsible for the movement of tectonic plates on the Earth's surface.

The Outer Core

• The outer core is thick and composed of iron and nickel.
• Due to high temperatures, the iron and nickel in this region melt.
• The molten iron and nickel move around the solid inner core, creating the Earth's magnetism.

The Inner Core

• The inner core is solid iron and nickel.
• Extreme pressure causes the molten iron and nickel to pressure freeze, resulting in a solid core.