Why is the solid Earth layered?

Answer 1

When the Earth was formed, it was very hot, because the material was being compressed. Being very hot, it was in a liquid or near-liquid state. Being in a liquid or near-liquid state, different materials would tend to fall or rise based on their density, the same way certain materials float or sink in water based on their density.

Iron and nickel are generally denser than rock, so they settled toward the center of the Earth, and the rocky material settled near the surface. The rocky material further separated into the crust, which is mostly lighter rock, and the mantle which is heavier rock.
JMB

Answer 2

During the time when Earth was forming and was in a molten state, heavy materials like iron and nickel sank to the center of the Earth's mass and lighter materials floated to the surface of the mass. The very center of what we call the core, is solid in the middle because of the increased pressure in that region. The solid, central part of the core has a liquid (molten) layer surrounding it. Outside the core, the largest mass of planet Earth is called the mantle and this is mostly solid rock. The very outermost layer of our planet is about 30 miles thick, is made of lighter rocks, and is called the crust.

Answer 3

this depends on the type of rock you are looking at. Igneous rock (formed by cooling of molten rock) will form layers if allowed to cool slowly as described above. Otherwise sedimentary rocks (those formed underwater due to the deposition of sediment form layers because the type of sediment and deposition environment changes with time, so these layers can represent seasonal changes as well as larger changes in the environment (such as changes in the oxygen content of the water, changes in the depth or mass extinction events, volcanic eruptions...and the list goes on)

Answer 4

That relies upon on what you propose. it is my answer in case you propose why there's a huge difference between the crust, magma, and center. As you get deeper into the earth, it receives hotter, kind of like having insulation on your homestead. contained in the magma, it truly is basically warm sufficient to soften the rock of the earth, and contained in the middle it truly is warm sufficient to boil it. The crust is a lifeless ringer for the crust on a pie - the interior can nevertheless be warm even as the crust is flaky and could no longer burn your tongue. And the guy who replied above me is ideal too. :)

Answer 5

because it was built in the 70's, when layering was popular

Answer 6

Study geology. It is interesting.

Answer 7

didn't wickpedia say anything about sedimentation?