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What state is the outer core in?

What state is the outer core in?

liquid
Unlike the inner (or solid) core, the outer core is liquid.

Is the outer core a liquid or solid state?

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.

Is the outer core a solid liquid or gas Why?

The core (mainly nickel-iron) has two layers. The outer core is liquid because the temperature is hotter than the melting points of iron and nickel. The inner core, although even hotter, is solid because of the intense pressure.

Why is the outer core a liquid state?

The outer core is not under enough pressure to be solid, so it is liquid even though it has a composition similar to that of the inner core. Because of its high temperature, the outer core exists in a low viscosity fluid-state that undergoes turbulent convection and rotates faster than the rest of the planet.

Is the Earth’s core solid?

Earth’s interior is layered like an onion. The solid iron-nickel inner core — today 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) in radius, or about three-quarters the size of the moon — is surrounded by a fluid outer core of molten iron and nickel about 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) thick.

Is the outer core gas?

Earth´s inner core and outer core are both made of an iron-nickel alloy. The state of matter (solid, liquid or gas) of a given material depends on its temperature and pressure. Although the inner core is very hot, it is solid because it is experiencing very high pressure.

Why is it hot in the Earth core?

There are three main sources of heat in the deep earth: (1) heat from when the planet formed and accreted, which has not yet been lost; (2) frictional heating, caused by denser core material sinking to the center of the planet; and (3) heat from the decay of radioactive elements.