what is Mercury`s core made up of?

Answer 1

Like the Earth, Mercury has an iron core. But Mercury's core occupies proportionately more (3/4) of the planet's diameter than Earth's does (about half). You can think of Mercury as a metal ball the size of the Moon surrounded by about 700 kilometers (430 miles) of rocky crust. The large relative size of Mercury's core makes it the most iron-rich planet in the solar system, with iron accounting for 65-70% of the planet's mass. Mercury's abundance of iron resulted from its position near the Sun. When the planets were forming out of the same cloud of gas and dust as the Sun, the temperatures in the warm inner regions of the primordial solar nebula were so high that iron-rich minerals were just about the only ones that could condense into solids. Farther away from the Sun, other minerals could also condense. Thus the iron content of the rocky planets in the solar system decreases with increasing distance from the Sun.

Mercury's iron core may also be responsible for one of the most surprising findings from Mariner 10 — the planet's weak magnetic field, 100 times weaker than Earth's. Astronomers and geologists are still trying to figure out what causes Mercury's field. In the case of the Earth, rapid rotation of its molten iron core generates electrical currents which produce the Earth's magnetic field. But Mercury is so small, astronomers had assumed its core had cooled and solidified. Plus, it rotates too slowly to generate a magnetic field the way the Earth does. Or so they thought. Perhaps Mercury's core is still partially liquid, or perhaps the magnetic field is "left over'' from an earlier time when the iron core was molten. Astronomers continue to work on this puzzle.

Answer 2

Most of what is known about the internal structure of Mercury comes from data acquired by the Mariner 10 spacecraft that flew past the planet in 1973 and 1974. Mercury is about a third of the size of Earth, yet its density is comparable to that of Earth. This indicates that Mercury has a large core roughly the size of Earth's moon or about 75% of the planet's radius. The core is likely composed of 60 to 70% iron by mass. Mariner 10's measurements of the planet reveals a dipolar magnetic field possibly produced by a partially molten core. A solid rocky mantle surrounds the core with a thin crust of about 100 kilometers.

Answer 3

Mercury has a large core relative to its size, taking up 42% of its volume. In order to Mercury to be as massive as it is for its small size, the core is thought to be very rich in iron.

Answer 4

there is not any such factor as a conventional iron center length. it has the largest iron center in our image voltaic gadget, nonetheless. we do no longer be conscious of what different planets iron cores (in the event that they are iron) are like (length, mass, ect). hence, there is not any such answer yet. till we deliver us or a probe available.

Answer 5

click here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_%28planet%29#Internal_structure:_core.2C_mantle_and_crust