Jordan Abronson - 4th Grade March 2004

What Goes on in the Earth's Core?


Ever wondered what goes on 26-3,000 miles beneath your feet? Well, I did, and that's why I chose my subject. What goes on in the middle of the earth? Well here I come. I'll tell you how I got all this information first.

On the first day of my I-search research it was hard to find any books on my subject. So I looked and looked and found tiny tiny bits of information in some books and none in others. Finally I got so frustrated I decided to ask for help. I asked Ms.Bock to help me find a book. She asked me what my subject was and I said it was inside the earth. So Ms.Bock told me to look in World Book E.

After that, I went to where the world books were kept and looked for E. I could not find World Book E so I was bewildered. I asked Ms.Bock to help me find World Book E but she could not. She told me to look around the class and see if anyone had it. So I looked and found Mason had it. When I asked him if I could have it he said when he was done. Lucky for me this did not take very long. After studying time was over I put a sticky note with my name on it on the page I wanted copied. The other days went pretty much same.

After that Mom and I went to the library to research my subject. I couldn't find any books in the children's section but mom found some in the normal sections. Unfortunately every book mom found I either already had the information or didn't need it. Then we went to google we found some cool stuff there so it was worth it.

The crust is the first 25 miles down in to the earth. That's the part living life forms are on (all animals + human beings). The next part is 26 to 1,800, miles down. It's called the mantle. The mantle can reach temperatures of 1,600-8,000 *F. On your way down you'll pass through the outer core, which is another 1,400 miles down. This place reaches temperatures of 8,000-11,000 F. Finally you'll reach the inner core. Once again another 800 miles down this heater reaches temperatures of over 13,000*F.

The center of the earth is made up of many metals. Most of the inner core is iron. Some is nickel. A small percentage of the earth's core is some light substance. This element is probably sulfur or oxygen. The outside of the core is not the metal substances but a liquid. The inner earth is the part of it that generates our magnetic field. The earth's core spins separately from the rest of the planet. Every 120 years the core will move one lap ahead of the earth itself. The very center of the earth is a solid iron sphere surrounded by liquid. There is much more to be learned about the earth, I've told you all I've learned.

Bibliography:
Websites:
www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1029245.htm
www.solarviews.com/eng/earth.htm
www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/ASK/earths_core.html
Books:
World Book Inc., World Book E 2001 Chicago
Peter Cattermole, Earth And Other Planets 1955 New York