Question
A scientist collects a core sample from 60 km deep in Earth.
Which characteristic will she most likely observe in this sample?
The sample has high iron content.
The sample is very hot and liquefied.
The sample mainly consists of granite.
The sample is very young.
Which characteristic will she most likely observe in this sample?
The sample has high iron content.
The sample is very hot and liquefied.
The sample mainly consists of granite.
The sample is very young.
Answers
GPT-5 mini
The sample has high iron content.
At ~60 km depth you are at the base of continental crust or in the upper mantle, where rocks are ultramafic (peridotite) and rich in iron and magnesium (ferromagnesian minerals). The rock would generally be solid (ductile), not a hot liquid; granite is a shallow, felsic rock of the upper crust, and deep rocks are not typically "very young."
At ~60 km depth you are at the base of continental crust or in the upper mantle, where rocks are ultramafic (peridotite) and rich in iron and magnesium (ferromagnesian minerals). The rock would generally be solid (ductile), not a hot liquid; granite is a shallow, felsic rock of the upper crust, and deep rocks are not typically "very young."