Early Earth, after accretion, became molten; scientists estimate Earth's temperature to be around 1800°C Convection currents in the molten Earth would have carried not just molten rock but heat to the surface, where much of it would be lost by radiation out into
space. As convection circulated Earth's elements and compounds, they began to settle into layers and cool. As the magma ocean of
early Earth cooled, it began to form a thin, hot crust. What factor caused different elements and compounds to settle out into distinct
layers throughout the Earth's interior, ending with the crust?
A)
gravity
B)
molecular mass
C)
density of substances
D)
freezing/boiling points of substances