Structure of the Earth

Structure of the Earth

The interior structure of the Earth is layered in spherical shells, like an onion. These layers can be defined by either their chemical or their rheological properties. Earth has an outer silicate solid crust, a highly viscous mantle, a liquid outer core that is much less viscous than the mantle, and a solid inner core. Scientific understanding of Earth's internal structure is based on observations of topography and bathymetry, observations of rock in outcrop, samples brought to the surface from greater depths by volcanic activity, analysis of the seismic waves that pass through Earth, measurements of the gravity field of Earth, and experiments with crystalline solids at pressures and temperatures characteristic of Earth's deep interior.

Structure

Depth		Layer
Kilometres	Miles
0–60	0–37	Lithosphere (locally varies between 5 and 200 km)
0–35	0–22	… Crust (locally varies between 5 and 70 km)
35–60	22–37	… Uppermost part of mantle
35–2,890	22–1,790	Mantle
100–200	210-270	… Upper mesosphere (upper mantle)
660–2,890	410–1,790	… Lower mesosphere (lower mantle)
2,890–5,150	1,790–3,160	Outer core
5,150–6,360	3,160–3,954	Inner core