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The metal part is in fact partially liquid and partially solid depending on how deep in you are. The increasing pressure makes the liquid go to solid state.

It is the rotation of this solid part inside of the liquid part that generates magnetic field



How does pressure affect melting points? I thought the core was like ~6000 C and the melting point of iron is like ~1538 C.

My brain is seg-faulting trying to figure out why pressure would make something need to be hotter to melt. I know melted things generally take more space than solid things (except ice, right?). But why does that have to be? Doesn't pressure affect volume already?



This YouTube video explains a bit more, and also 'how we know all this': https://youtu.be/muWrmfXpivY

It is in French (sorry) but it is subtitled and his channel has many very clear explanations about a diverse range of STEM subjects.


What keeps it rotating?


Inertia, presumably? What keeps the rest of the Earth rotating?




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