Video Transcript
Which pair of elements would you
most likely find in the inner core of Earth? (A) Calcium and tungsten, (B)
carbon and tungsten, (C) carbon and nickel, (D) iron and hydrogen, (E) iron and
nickel.
This question has to do with the
inner core of Earth. To answer the question, we need to
know more about the interior of the Earth. The Earth is composed of four
layers. The outermost layer of the Earth,
called the crust, is the thinnest layer. This layer is made up of lighter
rocks and particles. Beneath the crust, we find the
mantle. The mantle is a thick, rocky layer
that makes up the majority of the Earth’s interior.
Below the mantle is the outer
core. The outer core is very hot and
consists of liquid metals, mostly iron and nickel. The inner core below the outer core
is also incredibly hot. The inner core, like the outer
core, is mostly iron and nickel. But because of the high pressures
the inner core is a solid rather than a liquid.
From this discussion, we now know
that the pair of elements we would most likely find in the inner core of the Earth
is iron and nickel, answer choice (E).
