This diagram shows the internal structure of the planet Mercury. Scientists believe that the core of Mercury is hot, liquid iron-nickel. Mercury has no atmosphere and as a result, the surface is pocked by craters from collisions with asteroids over billions of years.
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Structure of Mercury's Interior
Mercury has a radius of 2439 km (1524 mi), and the metallic
iron-nickel core is believed to make up about 75% of this distance.
Measurements of the planet's magnetic field made by Mariner 10 as it
flew by the planet indicates that this core is likely to be hot and fluid.
In contrast with the other terrestrial planets, the rest of the
planet is probably made up of a solid rocky layer topped with a thin
crust about 100 km thick. The
surface of Mercury is
covered with a variety of craters formed from the impact of meteorites
billions of years ago and other features that reveal information
about the
evolution of the
planet.
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