our earth consists of an inner core and an outer core.Is the inner core made of solid metal?

Answer 1

The inner core is solid due to the extreme pressure there. It is made up of iron, (thus magnetism) nickle and gold. I just read recently (Discover Magazine)that 98% of the Earth's gold is in the core.

Answer 2

The inner core is thought to be composed of a nickel-iron-sulfide. This would mean that it is not solid metal but a metal/non-metal combination. The inner core is solid due to the fact that the tempeture, although higher than the liquid outer core, is not enough to overcome the immense pressure that forces it to be a solid.

Answer 3

The inner core of the earth is believed to be solid. The whole core is made up of nickel and iron but the in the outer core, they are in a viscous or molten state. Nothing definite has yet been discovered.

Answer 4

The inner core behaves as if it were made of solid. This reaction is transmission of seismic shear waves in the core and their diffraction within the core. The former fact is the proof of solid behavior. The latter shows the existence of two layers in the core. The idea it's made of nickel - iron alloy comes from the observation of NiFe meteorites (splendid stones by the way).

I want to add another point about molten and solid. The mantle is considered molten. But due to the pressure in there, its viscosity is analogous to steel (the cold version). Concepts of solid - liquid in this field is only based upon the behavior of seismic waves.

Answer 5

The inner core is mostly solid iron. The outer core is mostly liquid iron. Essentially what you have is a cooling molten ball of iron, the cooling part is the solid iron ball in the center. It is believed that convection currents in the liquid outer ball, form the earthj's magnetosphere. As currents swirl, they work as a dynamo. Since the earth is rotating, more of these swirls form in the axis of rotation, and the net effect results in the earths magnetism. I didn't say that very well and I should note it is all theoretical though with lots of convincing evidence

Answer 6

High temperatures alone suggest the metallic inner core is liquid. But the pressure is tremendous, and I believe it does force the core to behave like a solid.

Jupiter, last I heard, has a core made of solid hydrogen. The incredible pressure forces it to exhibit the properties of a metal. Think of it, hydrogen metal.

Answer 7

the inner core is solid and the outer core is molten
the pressure on the inner core is so much that it becomes solid
the core is divided into inner and outer on this very basis

Answer 8

Most of the inner core would be molten liquid. The *very* center of the core could be solid however, do to the tremendous amount of pressure it would be under.

Answer 9

The central part of earth is called core. It is about 5200km wide. The inner core is at a temperature of 6,300degrees and made of crystaline iron and outer core is at 4000degrees and made of molten iron and nickel.

Answer 10

The inner core is molten due to the extreme pressure caused by gravity. (pressure increases temperature).