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What is the interior structure of Saturn (e.g. core and various layers)

User Adelphus
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Final answer:

Saturn has a core composed of rock and ice and is surrounded by layers primarily made up of hydrogen and helium. Deeper inside, there is metallic hydrogen, which becomes liquid and then gaseous towards the atmosphere, known for its swirling clouds and extended gaseous layers.

Step-by-step explanation:

The interior structure of Saturn is composed of several distinct layers, shaped by the planet’s composition and the forces at play within it. At the center, Saturn presumably has a core made of rock and ice, surrounded by layers primarily made up of hydrogen and helium. This core accounts for only a small percentage of Saturn's total mass, with the rest of the planet being mostly hydrogen and helium, the light elements that were abundant in the early solar system and make up the majority of Saturn’s mass today.

Surrounding the core, the interior structure of Saturn includes a deep layer of metallic hydrogen, under tremendous pressure, it exhibits properties of a metal and is crucial in creating Saturn’s magnetic field. Moving outward, this transitions into a layer of liquid molecular hydrogen and helium, which then becomes gaseous as it reaches the visible atmosphere. The atmosphere is rich in swirling clouds and is where we observe the characteristic bands and storms of the planet, as well as the extended layers of gases stretched out due to Saturn's lower gravity.

User Jeff Baker
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