The thickest interior layer of the Earth is the mantle, while the thinnest layer is the crust.
The mantle is located between the crust and the outer core, extending about 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) deep beneath the Earth’s surface. It constitutes about 84% of the Earth’s total volume, making it the thickest layer. The mantle is composed of semi-solid rock that flows slowly over geological timescales, allowing tectonic plates to move.
On the other hand, the Earth’s crust is the outermost layer, which varies in thickness from about 5 kilometers (3 miles) beneath the oceans to about 70 kilometers (43 miles) beneath mountain ranges. Overall, it is relatively thin compared to the other layers. The crust is where we live and contains all the landforms and ocean floors.
Understanding the layers of Earth is crucial for studying geological processes, earthquakes, and volcanism, as each layer plays a significant role in the planet’s structure and dynamics.