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Aside from the sun, the heat present in the Earth is due to several factors. The first source of heat is from the remnants of heat from impacts with planetesimals early in Earth's history. Impacts with large bodies such as these (including the impact which led to the formation of the moon) trapped the thermal energy of the collision in the surrounding rock of the planet, and may have been enough in certain circumstances to completely melt the early Earth. The second source of heat is also a remnant of an early Earth event known as the Iron Catastrophe. With much of early Earth still molten, denser metals, particularly iron and nickel, migrated to the center of the planet. Tremendous amounts of frictional heat was created, enough to completely melt the planet once again. The third source of heat in the Earth is from compression due to gravity. The fourth and final source of heat in the Earth is from the decay of radioactive elements. This source of heat is gradually declining due the decreasing amounts of radioactive isotopes caused by the decay.
What else can I help you with?
What describes the circular motion of heat below the earths surface?
I would call this convection currents in the mantle.
What causes geysers in Yellowstone Park?
Geothermal heat from below the surface of the earth superheats groundwater and the pressure of the heat causes the water to shoot out of the ground.
What brought molten rock to the surface?
pressure from the heat under the earths surface
Why earths interior is warmer than earths surface?
Earth's surface is free to radiate heat into space. The interior is not. The interior does transfer heat the the surface, but rather slowly. It is hot due to residual heat from Earth's formation and from the heat generated by the decay of radioactive elements.
Which describes the circular motion of heat below earths surface?
Convection is the process that describes the circular motion of heat below Earth's surface. In the Earth's mantle, convection currents are driven by the heat generated from the core and the radioactive decay of elements. These currents play a crucial role in plate tectonics and the movement of Earth's lithosphere.
What does the circular movement of heat below the earth's surface cause?
The circular movement of heat below the Earth's surface, known as convection currents, causes the transfer of heat from the hot interior of the Earth towards the cooler surface. This movement is responsible for phenomena like plate tectonics, ocean currents, and volcanism.
What heats the earths surface and causes water to change states?
The sun's radiation heats the Earth's surface through a process called solar radiation. This heat causes water to change states by evaporating into water vapor, condensing into clouds, and eventually returning to the surface as precipitation.
How is heat from earths interior transferred to earths surface by convections?
Beneath the surface of the earth temperature remains the same. Within the Earth, irregular convection cells within the mantle transfer heat from the core to the surface of the planet. Volcanoes and earthquakes are two examples of heat transferring from the interior to the surface.
Hoe does air circulate around earths surface?
Heat from the sun
Circular movement of heat below the earth's surface causes?
Circular movement of heat below the earth's surface causes convection currents in the mantle, which drive the movement of tectonic plates. This movement is responsible for creating geological features like mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes. The heat also influences the Earth's climate through effects on ocean currents and atmospheric circulation.
What process causes water on earths surface to change to gas and rise into the atmosphere?
The process that causes water on Earth's surface to change to gas and rise into the atmosphere is called evaporation. This occurs when the sun's heat energy causes water molecules to gain enough energy to break free from the liquid's surface and enter the air as water vapor.
How is the atmosphere near earths surface heated from below?
The atmosphere near Earth's surface is heated from below primarily through the process of conduction. This occurs as the Earth's surface absorbs solar radiation and heats up, transferring this heat to the adjacent air molecules through direct contact. As the air warms, it becomes less dense and rises, creating convective currents that distribute the heat throughout the atmosphere.
