Which region lies directly beneath the Earth's mantle and is divided into an outer liquid layer and an inner solid sphere?

• A. Crust
• B. Mantle
• C. Core
• D. Lithosphere

Answer: (C)

Think about Earth's internal layers. Directly beneath the mantle lies the core, which has two parts: an outer liquid layer and an inner solid sphere. The liquid outer core allows convection currents that generate Earth’s magnetic field, while the immense pressures near the center keep the inner core solid. The crust sits above the mantle, and the lithosphere is the rigid outer shell that includes the crust and the upper mantle. The mantle itself is a solid, rocky layer between the crust and the core, not the region described. So the feature with a liquid outer part and a solid inner part beneath the mantle is the core.