1. Lithosphere:
* Physical Properties: Rigid, brittle, and strong. It's made up of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle.
* Components: Continental crust (granite, sedimentary rocks), oceanic crust (basalt, gabbro) and the rigid upper mantle.
* Behavior: The lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move and interact, causing earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation.
2. Asthenosphere:
* Physical Properties: Ductile, semi-solid, and weak. It's a layer of the upper mantle where rocks can flow slowly over long periods.
* Components: Mostly solid rock, but behaves like a viscous fluid due to high temperatures and pressures.
* Behavior: Allows tectonic plates to move on top of it.
3. Mesosphere:
* Physical Properties: Solid, rigid, and strong. It's the lower part of the mantle.
* Components: Solid rock that is denser than the asthenosphere.
* Behavior: It's relatively stable and doesn't flow like the asthenosphere.
4. Outer Core:
* Physical Properties: Liquid, dense, and extremely hot.
* Components: Mostly iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) with some sulfur and silicon.
* Behavior: Convection currents within the outer core generate Earth's magnetic field.
5. Inner Core:
* Physical Properties: Solid, extremely hot, and under immense pressure.
* Components: Mostly iron (Fe) with some nickel (Ni).
* Behavior: The extreme pressure keeps the inner core solid despite its high temperature.
Additional Notes:
* The boundaries between layers are not always sharp and can be somewhat defined by a gradual change in properties.
* The thickness of these layers varies across the globe.
* The physical properties of these layers are influenced by temperature, pressure, and composition.
