HOW THE

EARTH
INTERIOR IS
HOT
WE’VE BEEN STUDYING THE
INTERNAL LAYERS OF THE
EARTH, BUT WHY IS IT HOT
INSIDE THE EARTH?
 THERE ARE 3 REASONS TO WHY THE
INTERIOR OF THE EARTH IS HOT

PRESSURE

We are still COOLING from when the

EARTH formed

EARTH’S RADIOACTIVE (NUCLEAR) CORE

 REASON # 1

PRESSURE
 AS YOU GO DEEPER INTO THE EARTH THE
PRESSURE INCREASES.

 AS THE PRESSURE INCREASES SO TOO DOES

THE TEMPERATURE.
PRESSURE
 REASON # 1

PRESSURE
 Is the least important reason for
why the interior of Earth is hot.

 Pressure that cause a temperature

to increase, but not huge amounts.
 REASON # 2

Still cooling from when Earth

formed
All of the impacts from when early Earth formed caused friction
and heat.

The earl solar system was filled with Planetesimals.

They collided with one another becoming causing a huge

amount of heat from each impact.

The heat from these impacts is one of the main reason why
Earth’s interior was hot 5 billion years ago, and continues to be
the main reason why the Earth’s interior is hot today.
Still cooling from when Earth formed
 REASON # 3

HEAT
RADIOACTIVE (nuclear) CORE
Earth’s core has uranium in it.

Uranium is very dense and radioactive.

The radioactive energy releases from the core and transforms into
thermal energy (heat)

This radioactive energy is a heat source for Earth’s interior.

That is why the mantle is hot because the radioactive core heats
it
 HEAT
RADIOACTIVE (nuclear)
CORE