In the mantle,
temperatures range between 500 to 900 °C (932 to 1,652 °F) at the
upper boundary with the crust to over 4,000 °C (7,230 °F) at the
boundary with the core. Although the higher temperatures far exceed the melting points of the mantle rocks at the
surface (about 1200 °C for representative peridotite), the mantle is almost
exclusively solid. The enormous lithostatic pressure exerted on the mantle prevents
melting, because the temperature at which melting begins (the solidus) increases with pressure.
temperatures range between 500 to 900 °C (932 to 1,652 °F) at the
upper boundary with the crust to over 4,000 °C (7,230 °F) at the
boundary with the core. Although the higher temperatures far exceed the melting points of the mantle rocks at the
surface (about 1200 °C for representative peridotite), the mantle is almost
exclusively solid. The enormous lithostatic pressure exerted on the mantle prevents
melting, because the temperature at which melting begins (the solidus) increases with pressure.
