How Does Density Affect The Earth?

Think about the last time you had a root beer float. That sweet creamy ice cream floating in ice cold root beer always satisfies. Have you ever wondered why ice cream that is frozen solid can float in a liquid? It might be difficult to see when they are not mixed but the ice cream has air trapped inside so it is actually less dense than the root beer. In the last unit, you learned that density is a measure of how closely the particles of matter are packed together. Density affects more than just dessert treats though. Our entire Earth is structured around the densities of the materials which make it up. One property of density is that it determines the way materials in a mixture are sorted. This property of matter results in the layering and structure of Earth's atmosphere, water, crust, and interior. Scientists use models to describe the structure of Earth. Lets find out how!