How did the young earth separate into layers?

The earth's layering is mostly due to its early cooling. Once upon a time, the earth was a single ball of molten rock that cooled enough to "crust" over. After that, it formed the earth's mantel, which is located about 1800 miles below the surface, liquid iron and nickel at its core, and maybe enough gold to qualify as a "not rare" element. The earth's center is where all the heavy elements sank and are still present.

The young Earth separated into layers through a process called planetary differentiation. This occurred due to variations in density and composition within the early Earth, leading to the formation of distinct layers such as the crust, mantle, and core. The less dense materials rose to the surface, while denser materials sank towards the center, creating the layered structure we observe today.