which two layers made of the earth are made of rocks
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The two layers of the Earth that are made of rocks are the crust and the mantle.
- Crust: The Earth’s crust is the outermost layer. It’s made up of solid rock, with two distinct types:
- Continental crust: Composed mostly of lighter rocks like granite. It forms the continents and is thicker than the oceanic crust, ranging from about 30 to 50 kilometers in thickness.
- Oceanic crust: Composed of denser rocks like basalt. It forms the ocean floors and is thinner, usually about 5 to 10 kilometers thick.
The crust is rigid and brittle compared to the other layers beneath it. It’s where we live, and it’s divided into tectonic plates that float on the more fluid layers below.
- Mantle: Beneath the crust lies the mantle, which is the largest layer of the Earth. It is made mostly of silicate rocks that are rich in magnesium and iron. The mantle extends to a depth of about 2,900 kilometers. While the uppermost part of the mantle behaves like a solid (but still flows slowly), the deeper sections are more fluid-like and can deform over long periods.
The mantle is responsible for driving plate tectonics, as the convective currents in the semi-fluid part of the mantle cause the tectonic plates of the crust to move. The mantle itself is divided into the upper mantle (which includes the lithosphere and the asthenosphere) and the lower mantle.
Both the crust and mantle are critical in shaping the Earth’s surface, creating landforms like mountains, valleys, and ocean basins through processes like volcanism, erosion, and plate tectonics.
