The iron cores of terrestrial planets were formed:
A) during the earliest phase of planetary formation.
B) once the planets had cooled significantly.
C) during massive magma flooding events.
D) by planetesimals from the outer Solar System.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The iron cores of terrestrial planets were formed during the earliest phase of planetary formation when the temperatures were high enough to melt the metallic elements and cause them to sink to the center of the growing planet. This process is known as planetary differentiation.

The Iron Cores of Terrestrial Planets Were Formed