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Science · Earth & Space Science
Earth's Inner Structure
Our planet is built in layers, like an onion — from the thin, solid crust we live on, down to a blazing-hot metal core at the center.
🌍The Four Layers (Crust → Core)
🟢 Crust solid
Thin, cool rock we live on — only 5–70 km thick. The thinnest layer of all.
🟠 Mantle solid, but flows slowly
A thick layer of hot rock that oozes and flows very slowly. The biggest layer.
🟡 Outer Core liquid
Liquid iron and nickel metal swirling around the center.
🔴 Inner Core solid
A solid ball of iron and nickel — squeezed solid by crushing pressure, even though it's super hot.
🍑Picture It & Why It Matters
🍑Like an onion or a peach
Skin = crust · fruit = mantle · hard pit = core. Thin outside, dense center!
🧭The core makes a magnet
Earth's swirling liquid outer core makes a magnetic field — that's why a compass points north!
🔑Key Terms
🟢Crust The thin, solid outer layer where we live (5–70 km thick).
🟠Mantle The thick layer of hot rock that flows very slowly under the crust.
🟡Outer Core A layer of liquid iron and nickel around the inner core.
🔴Inner Core A solid ball of iron and nickel — kept solid by extreme pressure.
⬇️Pressure The weight of layers above pushing down — it gets stronger the deeper you go.
🧭Magnetic Field Earth's invisible shield made by the liquid outer core.
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Remember: Earth is layered like an onion — crust (thin & solid), mantle (hot & flowing), outer core (liquid metal), and inner core (solid metal, squeezed solid by pressure)!