What fraction of Mercury's entire mass is estimated to be its massive metallic core?
Answer
~60%
Mercury possesses the highest proportion of iron among the known planets in the solar system, with its metallic core accounting for an astonishingly large fraction of its total mass, estimated to be roughly 60%. This level of metallic concentration is far greater than that seen in neighboring worlds. For instance, Earth’s metallic core represents closer to 30% of our planet's total mass. This extreme metallic density in Mercury suggests unique formation processes occurred in the inner solar system, possibly involving the stripping away of lighter materials or initial formation conditions heavily enriched in heavy elements.
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