The Earth's Core

Deep inside our planet is a place called the core. It is the very center of the Earth. The core is made of two layers, an outer core and an inner core. It is the hottest part of our planet.

Inner and Outer Core

The outer core is made of liquid metal that swirls around slowly. It is mostly iron and nickel, really hot and melted. The inner core is solid, even though it is even hotter. It is solid because the heavy layers above press down on it very hard. The inner core is about the size of the moon.

Super Hot Center

The core is incredibly hot, maybe as hot as the surface of the sun. Scientists cannot visit the core because it is too deep and too hot. They learn about it by studying earthquake waves that travel through Earth. The swirling outer core also makes Earth's magnetic field. That field protects us from harmful rays from space.

Fun Facts

• The Earth's core is about 4,000 miles below the surface.
• The inner core spins a little faster than the rest of the Earth.
• The core is as hot as about 10,800 degrees Fahrenheit.

Did You Know?

Even though the inner core is hotter than melted metal, the huge pressure from above keeps it squeezed into a solid ball.