GENERAL GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The inner core is solid because it is made of very dense, or heavy, materials-like iron and nickel . Even though it is very hot, these materials don’t “melt” very easily, so they stay solid. Answer 3: It turns out that many materials can be a solid at a higher temperature if the pressure is also higher.

Detailed explanation-2: -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. The pressure and density are simply too great for the iron atoms to move into a liquid state.

Detailed explanation-3: -The inner core is believed to be composed of an iron–nickel alloy with some other elements. The temperature at the inner core’s surface is estimated to be approximately 5, 700 K (5, 430 °C; 9, 800 °F), which is about the temperature at the surface of the Sun.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Core is predominantly composed of iron and nickel. Even after 4.5 billion years of cooling, the Earth’s core remains very hot. The Earth’s core is divided into two layers, a solid inner core, and a liquid outer core. The Inner Core (D) (1216 km) is solid nickle-iron alloy.

Detailed explanation-5: -Evidence for a fluid outer core includes seismology which shows that seismic shear-waves are not transmitted through the outer core. Although having a composition similar to Earth’s solid inner core, the outer core remains liquid as there is not enough pressure to keep it in a solid state.