3 ms·
This is only tangentially-relevant, but I recently read that the earth's mantle is mostly solid! (It does still flow, but as a solid.) The state of the rock be
by ocfnash 8y ago
This is only tangentially-relevant, but I recently read that the earth's mantle is mostly solid! (It does still flow, but as a solid.)
The state of the rock beneath the crust is subject to two competing influences:
* High temperature [promotes liquid state]
* High pressure [promotes solid state]
and apparently the latter influence (mostly) wins.
Of course, when such rock reaches the surface, number 1 wins so we see liquid rock.
- pixl97 8y agoAlso, the deep earth is filled with lots of water, well mixed that is. Evidently this lowers the melting point and promotes plasticity, from what I've read. Water may be one of the bigger requirements.
- Avshalom 8y agoNot exactly water, hydrated minerals. So stuff (mostly olivine) with OH groups stuck to them. But yeah the factoid is 7x the water of the oceans.