What is the Inner Core of the Earth?

About the Inner core of the Earth:

• It is the innermost layer of the Earth.
• Structure:
  • It is a solid metallic ball made mainly of iron.
  • The inner core is solid due to the pressure caused by the weight put on it by the Earth’s other top layers.
  • It is distinct from the outer core, which is a liquid.
• Radius:
  • The inner core has an average radius of 1220 km.
  • The boundary between the inner and outer cores is located at approximately 5150 km below the surface of the Earth.
  • This boundary is called the Lehman Seismic Discontinuity.
• Temperature: Inner core temperatures reach extraordinary levels, estimated to be between 7,200–8,500ºF (4,000–4,700ºC).
• Properties:
  • It is predicted to have very high thermal and electrical conductivity.
  • The inner core generates its own magnetic field and spins a bit faster than the rest of the planet.

 What are the three layers of Earth?

• The earth is made up of three different layers: the crust, the mantle and the core.
  • The crust: This is the outside layer of the earth and is made of solid rock, mostly basalt and granite.
  • The mantle: It lies below the crust and is up to 2900 km thick. It consists of hot, dense, iron and magnesium-rich solid rock.
  • The core: It is the center of the earth and is made up of two parts: the liquid outer core and solid inner core. The outer core is made of nickel, iron and molten rock.