How is internal heat generated in large terrestrial bodies like Earth or Mars?
Answer
From the slow cooling of initial accretion heat and ongoing radioactive isotope decay.
For large terrestrial worlds, the sustained requirement for geological activity is met by two main internal heat sources. The first is the gradual cooling process stemming from the initial heat accumulated during the planet's formation, known as the heat of accretion. The second, ongoing source is the heat produced by the natural decay of long-lived radioactive isotopes situated within the planet's core and mantle. In contrast, small moons rely on external forces because their heat loss rate via radiation is far too rapid for stored internal heat or standard radioactive decay alone to maintain activity.
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