2007-06-12 07:12:48 · 10 answers · asked by samantha w 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
As you go deeper into the earth the pressure (caused by everything above pushing down) increases. This increases the melting point of the (probably Iron and Nickel) core. This eventually becomes such that it becomes solid.
The boundary has been mapped by careful monitoring of the times taken for Earthquake waves to get around the earth and "Shadow" zones where they are missed. This is caused by refraction of the seismic waves as they pass from liquid into solid and speed up.
2007-06-12 07:19:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The temperature of the earth's core is about the same as the surface of the sun, about 6000 K. But the core, made of Nickel and Iron, cannot vaporize because of the tremendous pressure, so most of the core is a liquid.
But the very center of the core is under still higher pressure which raises the melting point higher than the existing Temperature and thus the very center of the core is solid. Estimates suggest that the radius of this solid core is about 22% the size of the earth.
2007-06-12 07:57:37 · answer #2 · answered by Adolph K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Earth's inner is not solid. It's a liquid, molten core. If it were solid, we wouldn't have magnetic poles, or a magnetic field.
The earth's crust sits upon that molten core and rotates, which is what gives us night and day.
If the earth sat on a solid core, the act of rotation would cause massive earthquakes all the time.
If you really need to have proof, look at volcano's. If the core were solid, magma wouldn't spew out.
2007-06-12 07:29:58 · answer #3 · answered by josephwiess 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The earth was formed from matter spinning extremely fast and condensing due to centrifugal force, making the very center the point with the most pressure. It is still solid today because there is still gravity and centrifugal force from the Earth's rotations and revolutions to keep it that way.
2016-04-01 03:48:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What he said.
The state of iron (like other materials) is dependent on the pressure, temperature and volume of the material.
A phase diagram of iron, with volume held constant, will show that for a given temperature, iron can be solidified with enough pressure.
2007-06-12 07:20:48 · answer #5 · answered by gebobs 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 4,000 miles of molten magma and metal pressing down on it.
2007-06-12 08:55:54 · answer #6 · answered by anonymous 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Extreme pressure.
2007-06-12 07:14:53 · answer #7 · answered by Brian L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not solid, it is molten iron.
2007-06-15 15:25:37 · answer #8 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought it was molten...?
2007-06-12 07:21:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
are you sure about that?
2007-06-12 07:16:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋