Earth Sciences 1086F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Outer Core, Overburden Pressure, Protoplanet
11 Jun 2020
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Basic facts: densest major body in solar system, one permanent satellite (moon, orbital path is circular, tilt rotational axis angle of obliquity or tilt angle . Result: remove much of iron from earths outer layer to form liquid core of nearly 100% metal. As earth grew, confining pressure on innermost core became so great that it transformed to solid, giving earth hot core of solid metal inside an outer core of liquid metal. Impact: mars sized planet theia , reshaped earth and gave it moon. Differentiated earth if take large portion of most abundant element (iron) and place in earths core, the outer volume must contain higher proportion of elements lighter than iron. Differentiation: process of chemical zonation from core to surface. Zones: inner core, outer core, mantle, crust, oceans/atmosphere (top) Lithosphere: earth"s crust, upper proportion of mantle solid rocky layer. Mesosphere: pressure so great that rock is solid but temp is high that material acts like stiff plastic.
