What are some interesting facts about the outer core?


Quick Answer

The outer core, one of the three layers of the Earth, is approximately 1,430 miles (2,300 kilometers) thick and between 7,200 and 9,000 F. According to National Geographic, the outer core is mostly composed of iron and nickel in a liquid alloy form.

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What are some interesting facts about the outer core?
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Full Answer

The outer core is the middle layer of the Earth’s three layers, and is located about 1,800 miles below the Earth’s crust, the top-most surface of the Earth. The inner core is the hottest region and the innermost region of the Earth. The outer core surrounds the inner core and borders the mantle, which is the third region and the closest region to the Earth’s crust. Both the outer and inner cores are made almost entirely of nickel and iron. The inner core is solid, whereas the outer core is liquid. Unlike the inner core, the outer core is not under enough pressure to condense it into solid metal. Instead, it remains in a liquid form surrounding the inner core. However, the liquid metal form of the outer core is also caused by its extremely hot temperature, which is about four times hotter than lava. The outer core was also measured to be about 50 times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field at the surface.

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