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- The Earth's outer core is composed mainly of liquid iron (85 %) and nickel (5 %) with the rest made up of a number of other elements
- The outer core is 2,260 km thick
- The outer core's upper boundary is 2,890 km (1,806 miles) below the surface
- The outer core's lower boundary is 5,150 km (3,219 miles) below the surface
- The temperature of the outer core varies from 4400 degrees C at it's upper boundary and 6100 degrees C at it's lower boundary
- The outer core accounts for approximately 31 % of Earth's mass
The layer above the outer core is known as the mantle and the boundary itself is known as the Gutenberg discontinuity, named after the the German geophysicist Beno Gutenberg who discovered it. Gutenberg is also famous for his work with Charles Richter in the development of the Richter magnitude scale.
- The layer below the outer core is the inner core and this boundary was discovered by the Danish geophysicist Inge Lehmann
- Geophysicists currently believe that the convection of the molten iron in Earth's outer core produces Earth's magnetic field which protects us from solar radiation and without which life on Earth as we know it would have been impossible
- Some geophysicists also believe that certain mantle plumes form at the boundary between the outer core and the mantle due to the very high differences in temperature (the outer core is much hotter than the base of the mantle above it). It is these hot plumes that are thought to be responsible for volcanism at hot spots in the middle of tectonic plates such as the one that created the Hawaiian island chain.
What else can I help you with?
What area of earths interior is molten?
The outer core
Is earths outer core liquid or solid?
So far as science can deduce, it must be a solid.
What is the outer cores most abundant elemant?
The earths outer core's most abundant elemant is silicon. :)
Is the earths outer core made out of basalt or granite?
Neither. The Earth's outer core is primarily composed of molten iron and nickel. Basalt and granite are rock types found in Earth's crust, which is above the outer core.
What is the layer inside the earth that creates the earths magnetosphere?
The Liquid Outer Core.
What is Difference between earths inner core and outer core?
The inner core Is solid and the outer core in liquid
Is Earth's inner core surrounded by a liquid outer core?
Yes earths inner core is a dense ball of metal earths outer core is a layer of molten (melted) metal
Is the earths outer core a cold liquid?
no
What is the liquid layer of the earths core called?
The liquid layer of the Earth's core is called the outer core.
What layer is found directly above earths core?
Depends if your talking about the inner core or the outer core: Outer core or mantle.
What are the parts of the earths core?
The solid inner and liquid outer core.
Why is the outer core solid?
The outer core is not a solid but is in fact a liquid.
Does the outer core cover earths surface?
No the crust covers earths surface
What color is the earths outer core?
no one knows
What area of earths interior is molten?
The outer core
What are the 4 earths layer?
The crust, mantle, inner core, and outer core.
What is the earths main layers?
asthenosphere outer core inner core and crust
