EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The pressure is nearly 3.6 million atmosphere (atm). The temperature of the inner core is far above the melting point of iron. However, unlike the outer core, the inner core is not liquid or even molten. The inner core’s intense pressure-the entire rest of the planet and its atmosphere-prevents the iron from melting.

Detailed explanation-2: -The bottom line here is simply that a large part of the interior of the planet (the outer core) is composed of somewhat impure molten iron alloy. The melting temperature of iron under deep-earth conditions is high, thus providing prima facie evidence that the deep earth is quite hot.

Detailed explanation-3: -That led to the conclusion that the temperature of the center of the Earth is about 6000 degrees Celsius-a temperature about 9% higher than what exists on the surface of the Sun.

Detailed explanation-4: -However, the PRESSURE on the inner core is greater than the pressure on the outer core and the melting point of iron, the main constituent of the core, INCREASES as the pressure goes up.

Detailed explanation-5: -Earth’s core was formed very early in our planet’s 4.5 billion-year history, within the first 200 million years. Gravity pulled the heavier iron to the centre of the young planet, leaving the rocky, silicate minerals to make up the mantle and crust.