• Question: Is it possible to have a planet made up of entirely liquid water?

    Asked by to Ben, Emily, Jemma on 26 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Jemma Rowlandson

      Jemma Rowlandson answered on 26 Jun 2014:


      Hi!

      Awesome question! 🙂 Not entirely of liquid water no. The centre (called the core) of planets is very hot, it depends on the size of the planet but it’s normally well over 1000 degrees. Water would just evaporate at this temperature so there would be none in the core. It would also be too hot for water right next to the core, you need a few kilometres of rock in between until liquid water can comfortably swim around on the surface.

      There’s no reason you can’t have a planet covered in liquid water though. In fact scientists think one of Jupiter’s moons called Europa may be entirely liquid water beneath it’s icy crust. This is very exciting because it’s the only other place in our solar system that might have life on it!

    • Photo: Emily Hayward

      Emily Hayward answered on 26 Jun 2014:


      Great question curt2000,

      Currently we don’t know of any planets made only of water but it could be possible. If a planet was only made of water some of it would be in the form of steam as the middle of planets is usually very hot, and the outside would probably be ice as it’s pretty cold in space.

      If the planet was very pure water no life could exist on it, however if it’s got some nutrients in it it could have life.

      I think this is one of the best questions I’ve been asked so far! 🙂

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