Table of Contents
Which best describes Earth’s outer core?
Earth’s outer core is a fluid layer about 2,400 km (1,500 mi) thick and composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above Earth’s solid inner core and below its mantle. Its outer boundary lies 2,890 km (1,800 mi) beneath Earth’s surface. … Unlike the inner (or solid) core, the outer core is liquid.
What is inner core in simple words?
The inner core is the very center of the Earth, and the hottest part of the planet. It is a mainly a solid ball with a radius of about 1,220 km (760 mi), according to seismological studies. … The inner core is more than 5,000 kilometers below the earth’s surface.
What are 3 characteristics of the inner core?
The inner core of the Earth has a number of surprising properties.
- It’s Almost The Size of the Moon. The Earth’s inner core is surprisingly large, measuring 2,440 km (1,516 miles) across. …
- It’s Hot…Really Hot. …
- It’s Mostly Made of Iron. …
- It Spins Faster Than the Surface of the Earth. …
- It Creates a Magnetic Field.
20-Apr-2018
What best describes the Earth’s inner core?
Earth’s inner core is the innermost geologic layer of the planet Earth. It is primarily a solid ball with a radius of about 1,220 km (760 mi), which is about 20% of Earth’s radius or 70% of the Moon’s radius. … The inner core is believed to be composed of an ironnickel alloy with some other elements.
What is the outer core known for?
The outer core is the third layer of the Earth. It is the only liquid layer, and is mainly made up of the metals iron and nickel, as well as small amounts of other substances. The outer core is responsible for Earth’s magnetic field. … The magnetic field protects the Earth from harmful particles that come from the Sun.
How would you describe Earth’s outer layer?
Earth’s outermost, rigid, rocky layer is called the crust. It is composed of low-density, easily melted rocks; the continental crust is predominantly granitic rock (see granite), while composition of the oceanic crust corresponds mainly to that of basalt and gabbro.
Why is Earth’s outer core liquid?
The metallic nickeliron outer core is liquid because of the high temperature. However, the intense pressure, which increases towards the inner core, dramatically changes the melting point of the nickeliron, making it solid.
What is inner core in short answer?
The inner core is the very center of the Earth, and the hottest part of the planet. It is a mainly a solid ball with a radius of about 1,220 km (760 mi), according to seismological studies.
What is in the inner core of Earth?
At the center of the Earth is the core, which has two parts. The solid, inner core of iron has a radius of about 760 miles (about 1,220 km), according to NASA. It is surrounded by a liquid, outer core composed of a nickel-iron alloy. … The inner core spins at a different speed than the rest of the planet.
What is the inner core state?
The inner core is solid, the outer core is liquid, and the mantle is solid/plastic. This is due to the relative melting points of the different layers (nickeliron core, silicate crust and mantle) and the increase in temperature and pressure as depth increases.
What does inner and outer core mean?
The outer core of the Earth is a fluid layer about 2,200 km (1,400 mi) thick and composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above Earth’s solid inner core and below its mantle. … The inner core is also referred to as the solid core.
What are 2 characteristics of the inner core?
A solid mass of iron and nickel.The hottest part of the Earth.Temperatures up to 5,550.
What are 3 facts about the outer core?
The outer core is the third layer of the Earth. It is the only liquid layer, and is mainly made up of the metals iron and nickel, as well as small amounts of other substances. The outer core is responsible for Earth’s magnetic field. As Earth spins on its axis, the iron inside the liquid outer core moves around.
What is one characteristic of the inner core?
Scientists know that the outer core is liquid and the inner core is solid because: S-waves do not go through the outer core. The strong magnetic field is caused by convection in the liquid outer core. Convection currents in the outer core are due to heat from the even hotter inner core.
What is the characteristics of inner core and outer core?
The inner core is solid, the outer core is liquid, and the mantle is solid/plastic. This is due to the relative melting points of the different layers (nickeliron core, silicate crust and mantle) and the increase in temperature and pressure as depth increases.
What are three facts about the Earth’s inner core?
Earth’s outer core is a fluid layer about 2,400 km (1,500 mi) thick and composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above Earth’s solid inner core and below its mantle. Its outer boundary lies 2,890 km (1,800 mi) beneath Earth’s surface. … Unlike the inner (or solid) core, the outer core is liquid.
What are 5 facts about the core?
5 Facts About the Earth’s Inner Core
- It’s Almost The Size of the Moon. The Earth’s inner core is surprisingly large, measuring 2,440 km (1,516 miles) across. …
- It’s Hot…Really Hot. …
- It’s Mostly Made of Iron. …
- It Spins Faster Than the Surface of the Earth. …
- It Creates a Magnetic Field.
20-Apr-2018
What 4 things is the outer core made of?
The earth has four main layers which include the crust, the mantle, the inner core, and the outer core. The outer core of the earth is a liquid mix of elements, mostly iron and nickel, with smaller amounts of silicon and oxygen
What is known as core?
core. [ kxf4r ] The central or innermost portion of the Earth, lying below the mantle and probably consisting of iron and nickel. It is divided into a liquid outer core, which begins at a depth of 2,898 km (1,800 mi), and a solid inner core, which begins at a depth of 4,983 km (3,090 mi).
What is the importance of core in Earth?
Earth’s core is important for three main reasons: (1) it is responsible for the generation of Earth’s magnetic field; (2) it contains information regarding the earliest history of accretion of the planet; and (3) thermal and compositional features established when the core formed have largely controlled the subsequent …
What is Earth’s outer layer similar to?
Like the shell of an egg, the Earth’s crust is brittle and can break. Below the crust is the mantle, a dense, hot layer of semi-solid rock approximately 2,900 km thick.
How would you describe the Earth’s surface?
Our home planet Earth is a rocky, terrestrial planet. It has a solid and active surface with mountains, valleys, canyons, plains and so much more. Earth is special because it is an ocean planet. Water covers 70% of Earth’s surface.
What best describes the layers of the earth?
The layers of the planet consist of a solid inner core at the very center, a liquid outer core, several layers of mantle and a thin outer crust. The lithosphere contains the crust and the uppermost layer of solid mantle.
Why is Earth’s inner core solid and outer core liquid?
Earthxb4s inner core and outer core are both made of an iron-nickel alloy. … As you go deeper in the Earth both temperature and pressure increases. Although the inner core is very hot, it is solid because it is experiencing very high pressure. The pressure in the outer core is not high enough to make it solid.
What evidence indicates the Earth’s outer core is liquid?
Seismic waves show that the outer core is liquid.
