Earth's Core
Starting at the base of Earth we have the central most portion called the core.
The Earth’s core makes up approximately one-third of its total mass with a radius consisting of about 3,500 kilometers. The core is equivalent to the size of the planet Mars (Lunine, 2015). “The core was the first internal structure element to be identified. It was discovered in 1960 by R.D. Oldham” (Robertson, 2011, para. 7). Oldham discovered the core by studying earthquake records which led to help advance Newton’s studies of Earth’s density (Robertson, 2011).
Lunine (2015) estimates that one-fifth of the Earth’s surface heat is generated by the core. The heat generated within the core is pushed up toward the surface of Earth creating surface heat at the crust layer.
Within the core there are two divisions: the inner and outer cores.
Each portion of the Earth’s core has varying characteristics but each work together in forming the central unit of planet Earth. Both portions of the core are made of mainly iron – an outer liquid layer and an inner solid layer (A&G. 2008). The Earth’s core is believed to produce the planets magnetic field due to the rapid rotation of the core inside Earth. As Earth is rotating around the sun the core is also rotating within the Earth at a much faster rate. The speed of rotation plus the nickel-iron combination – the elements that compose the core – of the outer liquid layer and the solid inner layer are all scientifically responsible for the magnetic field (The Planets, 2015).
Learn more about the Earth's core here.
The Earth’s core makes up approximately one-third of its total mass with a radius consisting of about 3,500 kilometers. The core is equivalent to the size of the planet Mars (Lunine, 2015). “The core was the first internal structure element to be identified. It was discovered in 1960 by R.D. Oldham” (Robertson, 2011, para. 7). Oldham discovered the core by studying earthquake records which led to help advance Newton’s studies of Earth’s density (Robertson, 2011).
Lunine (2015) estimates that one-fifth of the Earth’s surface heat is generated by the core. The heat generated within the core is pushed up toward the surface of Earth creating surface heat at the crust layer.
Within the core there are two divisions: the inner and outer cores.
Each portion of the Earth’s core has varying characteristics but each work together in forming the central unit of planet Earth. Both portions of the core are made of mainly iron – an outer liquid layer and an inner solid layer (A&G. 2008). The Earth’s core is believed to produce the planets magnetic field due to the rapid rotation of the core inside Earth. As Earth is rotating around the sun the core is also rotating within the Earth at a much faster rate. The speed of rotation plus the nickel-iron combination – the elements that compose the core – of the outer liquid layer and the solid inner layer are all scientifically responsible for the magnetic field (The Planets, 2015).
Learn more about the Earth's core here.