4 ms·
I would assume because its very well insulated from above and warmed by the earth's core from below, but I'm not a geologist.
by sfphotoarts 16y ago
I would assume because its very well insulated from above and warmed by the earth's core from below, but I'm not a geologist.
- NickPollard 16y agoIt's also probably due to being under high pressure; the melting point of a substance is dependent on the pressure it is under.
- ChuckMcM 16y agoExcept its water which kinda defines incompressible. Answer is thermal energy from tectonic processes. Cite: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V61-47BX9V7-1&_user=10&_coverDate=01%2F10%2F2003&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=66844a166df35541b0ce95101bf7e720&searchtype=a http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi...
- billswift 16y agoIt doesn't matter how compressible it is, its temperature still rises from pressure. That is why ice is so slippery, pressure (from a tire, foot, or ice skate) melts a thin layer of water on the surface which acts as a lubricant (which is also why ice stops being slippery when its temperature gets low enough that normal pressures can't raise it enough to melt).
- mchouza 16y agoIt's more complex than that: http://lptms.u-psud.fr/membres/trizac/Ens/L3FIP/Ice.pdf http://lptms.u-psud.fr/membres/trizac/Ens/L3FIP/Ice.pdf Even an extremely high pressure cannot melt ice at -25 °C, but skiing is still possible at that temperature.
- yread 16y agogreat article! If you have the time read it.
- kragen 16y agoYou're correct, except that the heat doesn't come from the earth's core, but from its mantle and mostly its crust.