Once a terrestrial planet had formed from a large number of planetesimals, heat could have melted it and allowed it to differentiate into metallic core of ____density and a rocky mantle or crust of ______ density.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The metallic core would have a higher density than the rocky mantle or crust. After formation, the interior of a terrestrial planet heated up and melted, allowing the heavier metallic elements to sink towards the center and form a dense metallic core. The lighter rocky materials remained closer to the surface to form the mantle or crust, which has a lower density compared to the core. Therefore, the metallic core has a higher density and the rocky mantle or crust has a lower density.

Once a Terrestrial Planet Had Formed from a Large Number