Layers Trivia Quiz

The exosphere is the planet's outermost atmospheric layer, where air molecules are so sparse they can escape into space. It represents the final transition from Earth's air to the vacuum of space.

Range: 600 km (375 mi) to 10,000 km (6,200 mi) above the earth's surface.

​The thermosphere is the layer below the exosphere and above the mesosphere where temperatures rise dramatically with increasing altitude due to the absorption of solar radiation. This is the region where auroras glow and where the International Space Station orbits.

Range: 85 km (53 mi) to 600 km (375 mi) above the earth's surface.

​The mesosphere is situated below the thermosphere and above the stratosphere and is known for being the coldest part of the atmosphere. It's the layer where most meteors burn up completely from friction as they enter our atmosphere.

Range: 50 km (31 mi) to 85 km (53 mi) above the earth's surface.

​The stratosphere is located below the mesosphere and above the troposphere and is home to the ozone layer, which provides vital protection from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Unlike the layer below, its temperature rises with increasing height.

Range: between 6 to 20 km (4 to 12 mi) at the lower end to 50 km (31 mi).

​The troposphere is the lowest atmospheric layer, containing the air we breathe and where all of Earth's weather phenomena take place. It is the densest of all the layers (above the surface of the planet).

Range: varies from 18 to 20 km (11 to 12 mi) high at the equator, 9 km (5.5 mi) at 50°N and 50°S, and just under 6 km (4 mi) high at the poles.

​Considered part of the lithosphere, the crust is Earth's outermost, thin, and solid layer, divided into large tectonic plates in constant motion. It consists of the lighter, thicker continental crust and the denser, thinner oceanic crust.

Range: 5 to 70 km (3.1 to 43.5 mi) in depth.

​The upper mantle is the rigid, top part of the mantle, which combines with the crust to form the lithosphere. This is a critical component of the tectonic plates that shift across the planet's surface.

Range: begins just beneath the crust at about 10 km (6.2 mi) under the oceans and about 35 km (22 mi) under the continents, extending down to the lower mantle at 670 km (420 mi), technically incorporating the asthenosphere as a sub-layer.

​The asthenosphere is a semi-molten layer located within the upper mantle, directly beneath the lithosphere. Its pliable nature allows the tectonic plates above it to move, a process that drives continental drift and other geological events.

Range: generally between 80 and 200 km (50 and 120 mi) below the surface, but can extend as deep as 700 km (430 mi).

​The lower mantle is a solid, incredibly hot, and dense layer that constitutes the majority of the Earth's interior, stretching from the asthenosphere to the core. Even with its extreme heat, the immense pressure prevents it from becoming liquid.

Range: 660 to 2,889 km (410 to 1,795 mi).

​The outer core (2,890-5,150 km in depth) is a liquid layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core. The swirling movements of this liquid metal produce Earth's magnetic field, which acts as a shield against solar winds.

Range: begins at about 2,889 km (1,795 mi) beneath Earth's surface at the core-mantle boundary and ends at around 5,150 km (3,200 mi), where the inner core begins.

​The inner core is the planet's central layer, a solid sphere made of iron and nickel. Despite its extreme heat, which surpasses that of the outer core, the overwhelming pressure keeps it in a solid state.

Range: from approximately 5,150 km (3,200 mi) to 6,370 km (3,958 mi) in depth.