Earth’s Structure

Cross section of the Earth showing the core, mantle, and crust.

If you could view a cross section of the Earth, you would notice that Earth’s interior is divided into three different larger layers. These layers are naturally separated due to the differences in their densities. The densest materials are in the center, surrounded by the less dense materials. In this topic, you will learn about the structure of Earth’s interior and the materials that comprise each layer.

Essential Questions

• How is Earth’s interior structured?
• Which elements are most common in each of Earth’s interior layers?
• What is convection, and how does it occur within Earth’s interior?