Is Mars' Metallic Core Possible With a Mean Density Lower Than Earth's Mantle?

[luozk123]

please help me to solve this problem:
Mars has a mean density less than the mean density of the Earth's mantle. How is it possible
that Mars could have a metallic core given this fact? Hint: No calculations are required.
Compare the densities used in part a) with the density of mantle rocks like basalt at one
terrestrial atmospheric pressure.
the densities the question mentions are the mean densities of the Earth's mantle(4700kg/m^3) core(9711kg/m^3) and mean density of the earth(5520kg/m^3)
thx!
I know that the density of basalt is 3000kg/m^3 at one atmospheric pressure。 I think it might be that on the surface of the planet, the densities of rocks is less than they are in the mantle, which explains why basalt's density is lesser than the mantle. However, i don't know the composition of the surface of Mars, so i can't get the mean density of Mars surface. I am trying to prove that the surface density of Mars is less denser than the mean density, then I can say there must be a denser core deep in Mars. But the problems are: I don't know Mars' surface density, and I don't know the conditions of forming a metallic core...

 

[D H]

What do you think?

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