Earths Layers

Egg Lab

Procedure
Take your hard-boiled egg that is slightly cracked, and draw lines along the cracks in the eggshell with a permanent marker.

Questions
1. Which of Earths layers does the eggshell represent?
The eggshell represents all of the lithosphere the crust and upper mantle.

How does the cracked eggshell resemble Earths lithosphere?

2.
The lithosphere is broken and cracked like the broken shell of a hard-boiled egg. The black lines on the egg represent plate boundaries.

Questions
3. How do the cracked pieces or sections of the eggshell compare to Earths crust?
The broken sections of the eggshell are like the tectonic plates of Earths crust.

4. What do we call the lines between tectonic plates?

The lines between tectonic plates represent plate boundaries (where two plates meet).

Are all layers the same composition and state of matter?

Are all layers the same composition and state of matter? The inner core is mostly solid iron. The outer core and lower mantle are molten rock. The upper mantle and crust (lithosphere) are solid rock.

Procedure
1. 2. 3. 4.

5.

Cut the egg in half width-wise with the plastic knife. Examine the egg. Observe the physical properties of the eggshell, egg white, and yolk. Take note on how the layers are different from each other. Notice how the layers are put together to make the whole egg.

1. 2.

Now examine this picture of the Earth. Match up the layers of Earth with the corresponding layers of the egg.

Compare the Earth and Egg

Eggshell Crust Egg White Mantle Egg Yolk - Core

The eggshell and the crust are similar because they are both thin and hard.

Compare the Earth and Egg

Eggshell Crust Egg White Mantle Egg Yolk - Core

The egg white and mantle are similar because they are the largest and also have plasticity, or softness, to them.

Compare the Earth and Egg

Eggshell Crust Egg White Mantle Egg Yolk - Core

The yolk and the core are similar because they are dense and heavy, which is why they sit at the center.

Questions
1.

The crust and the eggshell are the thinnest. The mantle and the egg white are the thickest.
2.

Which layers of Earth and of the egg are the thinnest? Which are the thickest?

The egg yolk has the most weight, and this is like the core of the Earth, which is also probably the heaviest.
3.

Which layer of the egg is the heaviest? How is this related to the weight of the corresponding Earth layer?

The egg white is soft and moldable just like the middle layer of Earth.

How does the egg white feel compared to the other two layers? What does this mean about the same layer of Earth?

Reflections and Wondering

In your science journal write and answer the questions.
What

did you learn about the layers of Earth in this demonstration? else do you want to know about the layers of Earth? there anything else you want to share about this topic?

What

Is