In: Physics
If we dig down into the Earth, we find that the temperature
rises with increasing depth.
This indicates that heat is flowing out from the center of the
Earth. The rate of heat
flow per unit area is measured to be about 80
ergs/cm2/sec.
a) Give the total rate of loss of heat of the Earth’s interior, in
ergs/sec.
b) Most solids have a heat capacity which is about 3kT per atom.
Assume that the
typical atom in the Earth’s interior has a mass of 40
mproton, and that the average interior
temperature of the Earth is 3000 K. Calculate the total interior
heat content of the
Earth, in ergs.
c) How long would the Earth’s interior remain hot if there were no
other source for
interior heat (in years)?