Our Planet Earth

The only known planet with life in the universe

Crust

Thickness: 5-70 km

Main Elements: Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminum

Earth's thin outer shell where all life exists. Continental crust is thicker but less dense than oceanic crust.

Mantle

Thickness: 2,900 km

Main Elements: Silicate rocks rich in iron/magnesium

A slowly flowing solid that drives plate tectonics through convection currents.

Outer Core

Thickness: 2,200 km

Main Elements: Liquid iron/nickel

Creates Earth's magnetic field through its movement around the inner core.

Inner Core

Thickness: 1,220 km radius

Main Elements: Solid iron/nickel

Despite 5,400°C temperatures, immense pressure keeps it solid.

Earth's Layers Visualization

Crust
Mantle
Outer Core
Inner Core

Did You Know?

Water World

If Earth's surface were perfectly smooth, water would cover it uniformly to a depth of 2.7 km.

Ancient Earth

Some zircon crystals from Australia are 4.4 billion years old - almost as old as Earth itself.

Dense Core

Earth's inner core is as hot as the Sun's surface but remains solid due to extreme pressure.

Magnetic Shield

Without our magnetic field, solar winds would strip away the atmosphere like what happened to Mars.

Earth science data from NASA and USGS. Last updated: 10/7/2025