The mantle is the mostly solid bulk of Earths interior, lying between the dense, super-heated core and the thin outer layer, the crust. It is composed of a variety of compounds, with the majority being silicates, which are compounds that share a silicon and oxygen structure. The main elements that make up the mantle are:
- Oxygen: 44.8%
- Silicon: 21.5%
- Magnesium: 22.8%
In addition to these three elements, the mantle also contains smaller amounts of other elements, including:
- Iron
- Aluminum
- Calcium
- Sodium
- Potassium
These elements are present in amounts greater than 1 percent in the mantle. The upper mantle, in particular, is believed to consist mainly of magnesium-iron silicates, with olivine being a significant component.
