Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Layman question: why isn't the core of the earth made up of the most dense and heavy elements? One would assume, that they sink in to the deepest.

But of course, there is also the spinning of the earth, that counters it and makes the heavier elements go outside?




Yeah, I've heard that the heat from all the Uranium in the center is a big reason the core is still hot.


Yes, that is kind of the question in my head: is the core of the earth basically a nuclear reactor? And if not, why not?


It's not a reactor because the radioactive elements are sparse enough that there's no chain reaction. It's more like an atomic battery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_battery




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: