The Importance of Earth’s Interior Heat Engine

The Core

Direct experience with Earth’s heat occurs for those who live near volcanoes, hot springs and plate boundaries as they will experience volcanic eruptions, geothermal heating and earthquakes.

Earth’s Magnetic Field

The movement of the liquid outer core produces our Magnetic Field which helps to protect the Earth from harmful particles and radiation from the Sun.

Convection Currents

The source of heat in our core is Radioactive Decay of elements. This in turn heats up magma in the asthenosphere creating convection currents.

Convection Currents move the plates of the Earth’s crust causing the formation of:

1) Mountain Ranges

2) Deep Ocean Trenches

3) Volcanic Eruptions

4) Earthquakes