2.4. Structure and composition of the Earth's core

Structure and composition of the Earth's core

The core is the innermost part of the Earth, made up of iron and a little nickel, sulfur, and oxygen. Two parts are distinguished:

Outer core: fluid, from 2,900 km to 5,100 km.
Inner core: solid, from 5100 km to 6370 km.

Temperatures are very high, and this internal heat is responsible for the internal geological processes that generate earthquakes, volcanoes or the displacement of tectonic plates.

The convection currents that occur in the outer core are the cause of the Earth's magnetic field.

By Kelvinsong [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons

The Earth's core in other courses

The Earth's core is also covered in other courses:

The Earth core, in Biology and Geology of 4º of ESO.
El núcleo terrestre, en Biología y Geología de 4º de ESO.
El núcleo terrestre, en Geología de 2º de Bachillerato.

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