Ask A Scientist General Science Archive

Question:  How do scientists measure the size of the Earth's
core and mantle?  What scientific tools are used for the measurements?
Is the core really a sphere?
 Barb Detwiler's 8th. grade earth science class.

From: jade hawk on Fri Oct 22 19:14:28 1993
Message: Note 45 in AskAScientArc:General      (Response 1 of 1)
Subject: B.Detwiler Earth Center Measurement
 
Answer:
We get our information by studying sound waves after they pass
through the core. The sound waves can be generated by earthquakes
or underground nuclear explosions. It used to be thought that the
core was liquid (molten iron and nickel), but now some scientists
think there might be a solid "subcore" inside the liquid core.
--- jade