Which layer forms the outermost solid shell of the Earth?

Which layer forms the outermost solid shell of the Earth?

• A. Crust
• B. Mantle
• C. Outer Core
• D. Inner Core

Answer: (A)

Earth has distinct layers, and the piece you stand on is the outermost solid shell. That shell is the crust, which sits on a much thicker, hotter layer called the mantle. Beneath the mantle lies the outer core, which is liquid iron, and at the very center is the solid inner core. Because we’re looking for the outermost solid layer, the crust is the correct choice. The crust comes in two types—continental crust, which is thicker and less dense, and oceanic crust, which is thinner and more dense—but both form the planet’s outer surface.

Earth has distinct layers, and the piece you stand on is the outermost solid shell. That shell is the crust, which sits on a much thicker, hotter layer called the mantle. Beneath the mantle lies the outer core, which is liquid iron, and at the very center is the solid inner core. Because we’re looking for the outermost solid layer, the crust is the correct choice. The crust comes in two types—continental crust, which is thicker and less dense, and oceanic crust, which is thinner and more dense—but both form the planet’s outer surface.