Science Common Sense

1811 - What led to the formation of the solid Earth with a layered structure from the primitive high-temperature molten state?

The formation of a solid Earth with a layered structure happened about 4.5 billion years ago. Here's what led to it:

When the Earth was first formed, it was a big ball of molten liquid, because of the high heat and energy. As time passed, the Earth started to cool down and slow down its movement. The cooling caused the heavier elements like iron and nickel to sink to the middle, forming the Earth's core.

The lighter elements like silicates (which are common minerals) rose to the surface and formed the Earth's crust. This process is called differentiation. As the Earth continued to cool, the crust solidified, and the mantle, which is the layer between the crust and the core, started to form.

Over time, the Earth's layers took shape: the core (at the center), the mantle (surrounding the core), the crust (the outer layer), and the atmosphere (the air around the Earth).

It's kind of like when you make a lava lamp: when the wax melts, it rises to the top and cools down, forming a solid layer. The Earth went through a similar process, but on a much bigger scale and over billions of years!