Earth’s inner core is superionic — a state of matter distinct from solid, liquid or gas

The video discusses a study published in the Nature journal, highlighting the superionic state of elements in Earth's core. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences used simulations to show that under extreme conditions, hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon in iron become superionic, with implications for planetary magnetospheres. The superionic state is also found in other planets as superionic ice, affecting electromagnetic fields.

What scientific method did researchers use to study the superionic state in the Earth's core?

• Laboratory experiments

• Satellite imaging

• Field observations

• Computer simulations

In the superionic state, what happens to the lighter molecules like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen?

• They become gaseous

• They diffuse through iron, creating a liquid-like element

• They evaporate

• They form a solid structure

Where else, besides Earth's core, can the superionic state be found?

• In the Earth's crust

• In the ocean

• In the form of superionic ice on other planets

• In the atmosphere

What is one potential effect of hydrogen ions moving through an oxygen lattice in a superionic state?

• It might lead to volcanic eruptions

• It could cause earthquakes

• It might impact the planet's electromagnetic field

• It could increase the planet's temperature

How might the superionic state contribute to a planet's magnetosphere?

• By increasing atmospheric pressure

• By influencing the electromagnetic field

• By altering the planet's orbit

• By cooling the planet's surface