Final answer:
A piece of the Earth's core would be heavier than an equivalent volume of the Earth's crust due to its higher density. The core's composition includes heavy elements like iron, contributing to its greater density and weight under Earth's gravity.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you compare the same volume of a piece of the Earth's crust with a piece of the Earth's core, the piece of the core will be heavier. This is because the core is denser than the crust. The density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume, which means denser materials have more mass packed into the same volume.
The Earth's crust is predominantly made up of silicon oxide and aluminum oxide and varies in thickness. It is less dense compared to the core, which contains heavier elements such as iron and nickel. The substantial difference in composition between the crust and the core leads to the core being denser and therefore, heavier for the same volume compared to the crust.
Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, and since the core is denser, it will weigh more. However, it is crucial to distinguish between weight and mass. Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and is constant regardless of location, whereas weight is influenced by the local force of gravity. On Earth, the greater mass of the core material would certainly result in a greater weight as well compared to the same volume of crust material.