Seismic measurements and rheology. The outer core is so hot the iron and nickel there is liquid. The inner core is also as hot and just as liquid but the pressure in the inner core is so great it is solid. Some believe the inner core is a single iron crystal from earth's initial formation but there is no evidence to support that.
The inner core is solid, but the mantle is the only layer of Earth that flows in currents. These currents are caused by convection. If you don't know what convection is then you might as well look it up because I don't have a good definition.
Scientists determined that the Earth's outer core is liquid primarily through the study of seismic waves generated by earthquakes. When these waves travel through the Earth, they behave differently depending on the state of the material they encounter. S-waves, which cannot travel through liquids, are absent in the outer core, indicating that it must be in a liquid state. Additionally, the behavior of P-waves, which can travel through both solids and liquids, further supports the conclusion that the outer core is liquid.
Earth has four main layers: the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust. The inner core is solid iron and nickel, the outer core is liquid iron and nickel, the mantle is mostly solid rock, and the crust is the Earth's outermost layer where we live.
This knowledge is based on the behavior of seismic waves, particularly the behavior of P-waves and S-waves. S-waves are unable to travel through liquids, and this particular wave trait indicates a boundary between the solid mantle and the liquid outer core. As S-Waves do not propagate through the outer core a "shadow" zone is created on the other side of the earth from the source of seismic waves. In this zone no S-waves are detected. The boundary between the inner core and outer core is also detected by a difference in velocities of P-waves. The Earth's magnetic field also originates in the liquid outer core by the movement and currents of molten metal in this layer.
seismic waves travel slowly trough
The inner core is solid, but the mantle is the only layer of Earth that flows in currents. These currents are caused by convection. If you don't know what convection is then you might as well look it up because I don't have a good definition.
Scientists determined that the Earth's outer core is liquid primarily through the study of seismic waves generated by earthquakes. When these waves travel through the Earth, they behave differently depending on the state of the material they encounter. S-waves, which cannot travel through liquids, are absent in the outer core, indicating that it must be in a liquid state. Additionally, the behavior of P-waves, which can travel through both solids and liquids, further supports the conclusion that the outer core is liquid.
Melted iron and nickel alloy. It is too hot near the centre, so it is liquid. But if you want to know if the inner core is solid or liquid, then it is solid, because there is too much pressure from the rest of the Earth
Scientists know the outer core is liquid because S waves, which cannot travel through liquid, are not detected beyond the core. Additionally, seismic waves from earthquakes have shown that P waves slow down significantly when passing through the outer core, indicating it is a liquid layer.
Earth has four main layers: the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust. The inner core is solid iron and nickel, the outer core is liquid iron and nickel, the mantle is mostly solid rock, and the crust is the Earth's outermost layer where we live.
Volcanoes allow the molten lava from the outer core to pass through weak spots in the mantle.
The Earth's magnetic field is the result of electric currents in the liquid metal outer core.The outer core of the Earth is over 2,000 km thick. It sits above the solid inner core and is composed of highly conducting liquid iron and nickel. Above the outer core is the Earth's mantle.The geodynamo is the mechanism thought to be responsible for the electric current in the core and the generation of the Earth's magnetic field through the convection of conducting fluids in the Earth's core. Other planets with a molten metal core can also have a magnetic field.See related links.
This knowledge is based on the behavior of seismic waves, particularly the behavior of P-waves and S-waves. S-waves are unable to travel through liquids, and this particular wave trait indicates a boundary between the solid mantle and the liquid outer core. As S-Waves do not propagate through the outer core a "shadow" zone is created on the other side of the earth from the source of seismic waves. In this zone no S-waves are detected. The boundary between the inner core and outer core is also detected by a difference in velocities of P-waves. The Earth's magnetic field also originates in the liquid outer core by the movement and currents of molten metal in this layer.
The Earth is composed of four main layers: the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust. The inner core is solid iron and nickel, surrounded by a liquid outer core of the same materials. The mantle is composed of molten rock, while the crust is a thin, solid layer that forms the Earth's surface.
seismic waves travel slowly trough
some kinds of seismic waves cannot travel through liquids, such as the outer core.
some kinds of seismic waves cannot travel through liquids, such as the outer core.