The Earth’s core is the zone beneath the 2,900-km-deep Gutenberg discontinuity. Based on seismic detection, the core can be divided into the outer core, transition layer and inner core. The core is very dense; its mass accounts for 32.5% of the global mass, but its volume is only 16.2% of the total global volume. Because transverse waves cannot pass through the outer core, it is thought to be composed of near-solid molten materials, and because transverse waves can pass through the inner core, it is thought to be solid.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this entry
Cite this entry
(2020). Earth’s Core. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_569
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_569
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-2537-3
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-2538-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences