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There are 3 Chemical Layers of Earth, which incorporate the Physical Layers, based on chemical composition. The Chemical Layers are Crust, Mantle, Core. The Crust is the surface shell made of solid, cooled, brittle rock with large amounts of silicates. The Crust is only the very top of the Lithosphere, but includes slightly different Continental Crust (land) and Oceanic Crust (ocean floor). The Mantle is the large middle layer made of dense, semi-solid rock. The Mantle includes the bottom of the Lithosphere, the Asthenosphere, and the Mesosphere. It is mostly silicates different than those of the Crust, such as magnesium. The Core is the innermost layer of Earth, made of iron and nickel at very high temperatures. The Core includes both the inner and outer parts.
Earth is divided into a series of layers according to their density levels. The layers are categorized in 2 ways: Physical and Chemical.
Physical Layers are separated by how they work mechanically. There are 5 Physical Layers: Lithosphere, Asthenosphere, Mesosphere, Outer Core, and Inner Core. The Lithosphere refers to the layer containing the outer shell of Earth, including the surface and the several miles of cool, solid rock under the surface. This layer is hard, brittle, and low in temperature. The Asthenosphere refers to the layer in which rocks are nearly molten, influenced by changes in temperature that cause the lithosphere to break into plates that "float". These floating plates are called Tectonic Plates. The theory of Plate Tectonics states that the lithosphere plates move slowly over time, resulting in gradual location and landscape changes, such as a growing Atlantic and shrinking Pacific. The Mesosphere refers to the large layer of very dense, hot rock that flows like asphalt due to intense heat from the Core. Since the Mesosphere is stuck between the cool Lithosphere and the super hot Core, it has temperature differences throughout that create Convection currents. Convection causes the hot, less dense material to move upward while the cool, more dense material sinks downward. These currents are the motor behind the moving plates. The Outer Core is liquid iron and nickel, at intense temperatures. It is believed that there are also convection currents in the Outer Core that create the magnetic field around Earth, protecting us from harmful rays from the Sun. The Inner Core is also iron and nickel but kept solid due to the intense pressure of the entire planet pressing on it. All of these layers are different because of their physical properties and characteristics.
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