What is the Mantle?

• A. The outer crust, which is brittle
• B. The hot gooey layer between the crust and the core
• C. The Earth's center made of iron
• D. The atmosphere of Earth

Answer: (B)

The mantle is the hot, slowly flowing layer between the crust and the core. It’s made of rock that is so hot and viscous that it can move very gradually, which lets heat and material circulate through the planet. This slow flow powers convection currents that drive the movement of tectonic plates on the surface, shaping continents and oceans over time.

That’s why the description of the mantle as the hot gooey layer between the crust and the core fits best. The outermost shell is the crust, which is brittle. The Earth’s center is the core, largely composed of iron. The atmosphere is the gaseous envelope around Earth, not a layer inside the planet.