What is the outer core?

The Outer Core is the second to last layer of the Earth. It is a magma like liquid layer that surrounds the Inner Core and creates Earth's magnetic field. In this section you will learn about how Earth's magnetic field is created, how hot it is, how thick the Outer Core is and a few interesting facts about the Outer Core. read more

The outer core of the Earth is a fluid layer about 2,400 km (1,500 mi) thick and composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above Earth's solid inner core and below its mantle. Its outer boundary lies 2,890 km (1,800 mi) beneath Earth's surface. read more

The Outer Core The Outer Core is the second to last layer of the Earth. It is a magma like liquid layer that surrounds the Inner Core and creates Earth's magnetic field. read more

The outer core is a layer of molten metal that surrounds the inner core. The outer core lies at a depth from 2900 km to 5150 km. It's composed of liquid iron and nickel along with small amounts of lighter elements, with temperatures ranging from 4,000 degrees C to 6,100 degrees C near the boundary with the inner core. read more