Mars is primarily made of a dense core, a rocky mantle, and a crust, with a thin atmosphere surrounding it.
Internal Composition
- Core: Mars has a dense core about 930 to 1,300 miles (1,500 to 2,100 kilometers) in radius, composed mainly of iron, nickel, and sulfur
- Mantle: Surrounding the core is a rocky mantle, roughly 770 to 1,170 miles (1,240 to 1,880 kilometers) thick, made mostly of silicate minerals rich in silicon, oxygen, iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus
- Crust: The crust is 6 to 30 miles (10 to 50 kilometers) thick and consists largely of volcanic basalt rock, with elements such as iron, magnesium, aluminum, calcium, potassium, sulfur, and chlorine. Some parts of the crust may contain andesite, a volcanic rock richer in silica
Surface and Soil
- The surface is covered with fine iron-rich dust and volcanic basalt rock, which gives Mars its characteristic reddish color due to oxidized iron (rust)
- The soil contains nutrients like sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium
Atmosphere
- Mars has a very thin atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide (about 95%), with minor amounts of molecular nitrogen (2.7-2.85%), argon, and trace amounts of water vapor and oxygen
Summary
Mars is a terrestrial planet with a metallic core of iron, nickel, and sulfur, a silicate mantle, and a crust dominated by volcanic basalt and iron oxides that create its red appearance. Its thin atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide with small amounts of nitrogen and argon
