The interior structure of the Earth is layered in spherical shells, like an onion.

Inside the EarthVictoria Saura Montesinos

Its structure is divided in:

Mohorovičić discontinuity

Gutenberg discontinuity)

Lehmann discontinuity

These layers can be defined by either their

chemical or their rheological properties.

Earth has a solid crust, a highly viscous mantle, a liquid outer core and a solid inner core.

(Rigid)

(Rigid)

(Rigid)

(Plastic) Lithosphere

astenosphere

•The crust it’s the outermost layer.•The thin parts are the oceanic crust, which underlie the ocean basins (5–10 km).•The thicker crust is continental crust, which is less dense. •The uppermost mantle together with the crust constitutes the lithosphere.

The mantle is the thickest layer of Earth. It’s composed of silicate rocks that are rich

in iron and magnesium.

·The origin of plate movement occurs by some material currents in the mantle, the so-called convection currents, and especially, in the force of gravity.

Convection currents are produced by differences in temperature and density, so that the hotter material weigh less and rise and cooler material, are thicker and heavier and descends.

•There aren’t denser materials than the Earth's core. •Seismic measurements show that the core is divided into two parts, a “solid” inner core and a “liquid” outer core.

•The lithosphere is broken into many pieces called plates. •The plates "float" on the soft, plastic mantle which is located below the crust. •These plates usually move along smoothly but sometimes they stick and build up pressure. •The pressure builds and the rock bends until it snaps. •When this occurs an earthquake is the result.

Plates

The asthenosphere is the part of the mantle that flows and moves the plates of the Earth.