The depth of the world, referring to the distance to the Earth's center, is 6,371 kilometers (3,958 miles) from the surface to the core.
Understanding Earth's Depth
The Earth isn't a uniform solid; it's made up of several layers, each contributing to the overall depth. The layers of the Earth from the surface going inward include:
- Crust: The outermost layer, relatively thin.
- Mantle: A thick layer of mostly solid rock, but part of it, called the asthenosphere, is partly molten.
- Outer Core: A liquid layer made mostly of iron and nickel.
- Inner Core: A solid ball of iron and nickel.
Borehole Depth
While the Earth's center is thousands of kilometers deep, humans have only managed to drill a tiny fraction of that distance. According to the provided reference, the average borehole depth reaches only about 12 kilometers. This highlights the vast difference between our capacity to probe the planet and its true depth.
Earth's Interior Depth: A Summary
| Layer | Depth (km) | Depth (miles) | Composition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crust | 0-100 | 0-62 | Solid, diverse rocks |
| Mantle | 100-2900 | 62-1802 | Mostly solid rocks with a partially molten asthenosphere |
| Outer Core | 2900-5100 | 1802-3169 | Liquid iron and nickel |
| Inner Core | 5100-6371 | 3169-3958 | Solid iron and nickel |
Key Points:
- The center of the Earth is approximately 6,371 kilometers (3,958 miles) deep from the crust.
- Boreholes on average only reach around 12 km into the Earth.
- The Earth consists of multiple layers (crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core).
- The depth of the Earth is much more than our ability to explore it directly.
