What are the layers of the Earth

Did you think that our planet was a simple land mass? Well, it is something much more complex than that, because what is our home has both internal and external layers that give it some of its particular qualities, many of them essential for our subsistence.

If you are wondering what are the layers of the Earth attentive, because in this article of .com we explain them in detail.

Two types of layers on earth

The first thing we must be clear about before explaining in detail what the layers of the earth are is that they are subdivided into two types: internal layers, those that are inside the very mass that is the planet, and external layers, responsible to a large extent of our evolution and subsistence on Earth.

Internal layers of the Earth

The geosphere is the inner layer of the Earth, which extends from the surface of the planet to the inner part of it, it is composed of 3 parts:

The bark

It is the outermost layer of the geosphere, its structure is rigid because it is made up of rocks, however it is a fragile layer if we compare it with the two inner ones. The same can be broken resulting in a natural phenomenon that we know well: earthquakes.

The mantle

It has a layer both internal and external, which have a high temperature. In the inner layer of the mantle we find materials such as magnesium, silicon or oxygen, while the external one is composed mainly of solid minerals.

The nucleus

It also has an internal layer and an external layer. The inner core is the deepest layer of the earth, a mass in solid state that is suspended in the center of the outer core, which is formed by a liquid that is at very high temperatures.

External layers of the Earth

The outer layers of the earth are made up of:

The hydrosphere

It is formed by the water present in our planet in any of its states, whether solid or liquid. As you probably know, most of the Earth's water is in the sea, although we also find it in the rivers and lakes that make up our vast planet.

This layer of the Earth is of great importance, because all the living beings that inhabit the planet need it for their development and subsistence.

The atmosphere

It is the outermost layer of the planet which is mainly composed of nitrogen and oxygen together with other gases in a smaller proportion. It is thanks to this layer that we can breathe normally, so it is also considered that it has been fundamental for the evolution of the species that inhabit the Earth, including ours.

Is composed of:

  • Troposphere, the layer closest to the surface of the earth.
  • Stratosphere, its gases form strata, one of the most important of this group is the ozone layer.
  • Mesosphere, it extends between 50 and 80 kilometers of altitude.
  • Thermosphere, this is the layer in which space shuttles work.
  • Exosphere, the last layer of our planet.