Question

The Earth's inner core reaches temperatures that are at times greater than 9000°F. What causes this layer to remain solid despite the high temperature?

Answer 1

D) the immense pressure its under

Answer 2

The earth's inner core remains solid due to high amounts of pressure, so even though it should be liquid due to an extremely high temperatures, it acts as a solid. More specifically, solid iron-nickel, or pure crystalised iron. The pressure at the earth's core is almost three and a half million times higher than on the surface, and it is this pressure that causes the atomic structure of iron to actually change.