Pippa Corbett answered
The 'outer core' is a term used to refer to a layer of the earth just above the inner core. It's the second most central layer of the earth.
What is the outer core?
The outer core is primarily made up of nickel and iron, and is thought to be over 2,220 km thick.
It is primarily liquid in consistency, and its outer boundary is a good 2,800km from the earth's surface.
The temperature of the outer core ranges between 4000°C-6000°C. That's pretty hot stuff!
How does the outer core effect us?
You might be wondering what's so great about a layer of molten-hot liquid metal that's nearly 3000km down in the earth. Well, the truth is that life on earth probably wouldn't exist if it weren't for the outer core.
It is responsible for the earth's magnetic attraction, and this magnetism holds various gases around the earth in a 'protective bubble'.
This bubble shields our planet from the dangerous solar winds emitted by the sun, and is the reason our planet is still habitable to this day.
Scientists believe that it is the lack of planetary magnetism that rendered the planet Mars so vulnerable to the sun's effects, and is why the red planet is inhospitable today.
What is the outer core?
The outer core is primarily made up of nickel and iron, and is thought to be over 2,220 km thick.
It is primarily liquid in consistency, and its outer boundary is a good 2,800km from the earth's surface.
The temperature of the outer core ranges between 4000°C-6000°C. That's pretty hot stuff!
How does the outer core effect us?
You might be wondering what's so great about a layer of molten-hot liquid metal that's nearly 3000km down in the earth. Well, the truth is that life on earth probably wouldn't exist if it weren't for the outer core.
It is responsible for the earth's magnetic attraction, and this magnetism holds various gases around the earth in a 'protective bubble'.
This bubble shields our planet from the dangerous solar winds emitted by the sun, and is the reason our planet is still habitable to this day.
Scientists believe that it is the lack of planetary magnetism that rendered the planet Mars so vulnerable to the sun's effects, and is why the red planet is inhospitable today.
