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About 15 - 20 km
- The average thickness of the crust is about 15 - 20 km (9 - 12 mi).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_crust
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Earth's crust is its thick outer shell of rock, referring to less than one percent of the planet's radius and volume. It is the top component of the lithosphere, a solidified division of Earth's layers that includes the crust and the upper part of the mantle. The average thickness of the crust is about 15 - 20 km (9 - 12 mi), but it varies from 30 - 80 km (20 - 50 mi) for continental crust and 5 - 10 km (3 - 6 mi) for oceanic crust.
Jan 25, 2019 · The Earth's crust is a thin layer of rock that varies from less than one kilometer to over 80 kilometers thick. It is composed of two main types: oceanic crust (basaltic) and continental crust (granitic), which have different chemical and mineral compositions and origins.
- Andrew Alden
- The Inner CORE
- The Outer CORE
- The Mantle
- The Crust
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This solid metal ball has a radius of 1,220 kilometers (758 miles), or about three-quarters that of the moon. It’s located some 6,400 to 5,180 kilometers (4,000 to 3,220 miles) beneath Earth’s surface. Extremely dense, it’s made mostly of iron and nickel. The inner core spins a bit faster than the rest of the planet. It’s also intensely hot: Temper...
This part of the core is also made from iron and nickel, just in liquid form. It sits some 5,180 to 2,880 kilometers (3,220 to 1,790 miles) below the surface. Heated largely by the radioactive decay of the elements uranium and thorium, this liquid churns in huge, turbulent currents. That motion generates electrical currents. They, in turn, generate...
At close to 3,000 kilometers (1,865 miles) thick, this is Earth’s thickest layer. It starts a mere 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) beneath the surface. Made mostly of iron, magnesium and silicon, it is dense, hot and semi-solid (think caramel candy). Like the layer below it, this one also circulates. It just does so far more slowly. Near its upper edges...
Earth’s crust is like the shell of a hard-boiled egg. It is extremely thin, cold and brittle compared to what lies below it. The crust is made of relatively light elements, especially silica, aluminum and oxygen. It’s also highly variable in its thickness. Under the oceans (and Hawaiian Islands), it may be as little as 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) thic...
Earth's crust is the thinnest and most variable layer of the planet, ranging from 5 to 70 kilometers thick. It is made of light elements and broken into tectonic plates that move slowly and cause earthquakes and volcanoes.
- Namesake. The name Earth is at least 1,000 years old. All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. However, the name Earth is a Germanic word, which simply means “the ground.”
- Potential for Life. Earth has a very hospitable temperature and mix of chemicals that have made life abundant here. Most notably, Earth is unique in that most of our planet is covered in liquid water, since the temperature allows liquid water to exist for extended periods of time.
- Size and Distance. With an equatorial diameter of 7926 miles (12,760 kilometers), Earth is the biggest of the terrestrial planets and the fifth largest planet in our solar system.
- Orbit and Rotation. As Earth orbits the Sun, it completes one rotation every 23.9 hours. It takes 365.25 days to complete one trip around the Sun. That extra quarter of a day presents a challenge to our calendar system, which counts one year as 365 days.
Aug 1, 2023 · Learn about the four main layers of the Earth: crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core. The crust varies in thickness from 5 km to 30 km, depending on whether it is oceanic or continental.
Apr 25, 2024 · Our planet ’s thin, 40-kilometer (25-mile) deep crust—just 1 percent of Earth ’s mass—contains all known life in the universe. Earth has three layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core. The crust is made of solid rocks and minerals.
3 days ago · Earth's crust is the outermost, rigid, rocky layer of the planet, composed of low-density, easily melted rocks. It is about 50 km thick beneath the continents and 5–10 km thick beneath the oceans. Learn more about the crust, the mantle, and the lithospheric plates that move and interact on Earth's surface.
