Asked by justin
Why is Earth's outer core hotter than Earth’s oceanic crust?
Earth’s oceanic crust is denser than Earth’s outer core is.
Earth’s oceanic crust has lava flowing from the mantle.
Earth’s outer core has a composition of solid iron and nickel.
Earth’s outer core is deeper within Earth than oceanic crust is.
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Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
Correct answer: Earth’s outer core is deeper within Earth than oceanic crust is.
Explanation: Temperature increases with depth (geothermal gradient) because you are closer to internal heat sources (residual heat from formation, radioactive decay, and heat from the inner core). The outer core (liquid iron–nickel) lies thousands of kilometers below the surface and reaches several thousand °C, whereas the oceanic crust is thin and near the cold surface (typically up to ~1,000°C only near active magma). The other choices are incorrect: oceanic crust is not denser than the outer core, the outer core is liquid (not solid), and the presence of lava in the crust doesn’t make the crust hotter than material deep in the core.
Explanation: Temperature increases with depth (geothermal gradient) because you are closer to internal heat sources (residual heat from formation, radioactive decay, and heat from the inner core). The outer core (liquid iron–nickel) lies thousands of kilometers below the surface and reaches several thousand °C, whereas the oceanic crust is thin and near the cold surface (typically up to ~1,000°C only near active magma). The other choices are incorrect: oceanic crust is not denser than the outer core, the outer core is liquid (not solid), and the presence of lava in the crust doesn’t make the crust hotter than material deep in the core.
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