Maybe, you’ve heard that the core of the earth is very hot. The temperature range is between 9,000-13,000 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 5,000-7,000 degrees Celsius, launches National Geographic. Can you imagine how hot it was?
The question is, why is the earth’s core so hot? And how do scientists measure the temperature? Let’s find out together!
1. There are at least three main sources of heat within the earth
Quentin Williams, professor of earth sciences at the University of California at Santa Cruz explains that there are three main sources of heat within the earth. First, the heat when the planets formed and expanded, which hasn’t dissipated.
Second, the heat from the decay of radioactive elements. And finally, frictional heating due to the denser core material sinking into the center of the planet Scientific American.
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2. Heat takes a long time to leave the earth
illustration of the structure of the earth’s layers (Freepik/rost9)–
It takes a long time for heat to escape from the earth. Heat loss occurs in two ways, namely through ‘convective’ heat transfer within the Earth’s molten outer core and dense mantle and slower ‘convective’ heat transfer through non-convective boundary layers, such as the Earth’s plates at the surface.
Therefore, since the earth first formed and expanded its core, most of the heat has persisted. Simply put, the planet’s inability to cool rapidly causes high temperatures in the Earth’s core.
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3. The density of the Earth’s core is similar to that of iron which is melted at high pressure and temperature
melted iron illustration (Freepik/aleksandarmalivuk)–
How do scientists know the temperature of the Earth’s core? It is estimated, the condition of the earth’s core is similar to iron which is melted at high pressure and temperature. FYI, the depth of the earth’s core to the center is 2,886-6,371 kilometers and consists mostly of iron with few contaminants.
Launch Scientific American, the density of the core and the speed of sound through the core are similar to those of iron being melted at high pressure and temperature. It is measured by the speed at which seismic waves travel over it.
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Scientists say that iron is the only element that matches the seismic properties of the Earth’s core. In addition, they are quite abundant, which is about 35 percent of the total mass of the planet Earth, especially in the core.
Also read: Just imagine, this is what will happen if all the trees on earth disappear
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4. The decay of radioactive elements is the main source of heat in the earth
illustration of the structure of the earth’s layers (Freepik/rost9)–
Launch Earth Observatory of SingaporeThe main source of heat in the earth is the decay of radioactive elements. It is defined as the loss of elementary particles from an unstable nucleus which eventually turns an initially unstable element into a more stable one.
This natural process converts unstable elements such as uranium or potassium into stable ones and produces ‘child’ products such as lead (for uranium) and argon (for potassium). About 90 percent of the total heat in the earth is caused by this process.
So where does the remaining 10 percent come from? Apparently, this heat comes from the formation of the planet! The Earth was formed from an accretion process, in which solids pulled together to form larger objects until the Earth reached its current size.
When two objects collide, heat is generated. Since the first earth was formed until now, this heat has not completely disappeared.
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5. What would happen if the Earth’s core cooled?
illustration of the surface of the planet mars (Unsplash/Daniele Colucci)–
Just imagine, what would happen if the earth’s core cooled? When the core cools and solidifies, the impact on the entire planet Earth will be enormous. Approximately, like what?
According to Dr. Paula Koelemeijer on The Conversation, when that happens, it is likely that Earth will be similar to the planet Mars, which has a very thin atmosphere and no more earthquakes or volcanoes. Thus, life on earth will be difficult to survive.
Fortunately, that won’t happen, at least for the next billions of years. Now, the condition of the earth’s core is not completely liquid. The inner core is like a ball of solid iron, while the outer core is composed of molten iron with a thickness of thousands of kilometers.
Well, that’s a brief explanation of why the temperature of the earth’s core is very hot. I hope this helps!
Also Read: What Happens If Water Disappears From Earth? This is the research
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