What is the Planet Earth? | Types, Definition, Structure, Function & Facts
What is the Planet Earth?
Earth is the largest of the four terrestrial planets, the other terrestrial planets being Mercury, Venus, and Mars. By terrestrial planet, we mean that the Earth has a hard rocky surface. The composition of the Earth is similar to that of the other terrestrial planets in that it has an iron core surrounded by a molten mantle, which in turn is surrounded by an outer mantle. We live on the crust.
Highlights of Planet Earth:
| Moons | 1 |
| Mass | 5.97 x 10^24 kg |
| Diameter | 7,918 miles (12,742 km) |
| Year | 365.3 Days |
| Day | 23 hours and 56 minutes |
| Average Temperature | 128.5 to +134 degrees F (-89.2 to 56.7 degrees C) |
| Distance from the Sun | 3rd planet from the sun, 93 million miles (149.6 million km) |
| Type of Planet | Terrestrial (has a hard rocky surface) |
Earth is Different
There are many things that make Earth unique among the planets of the solar system. First, Earth is the only planet we know of that contains life. The Earth not only contains life but is also home to millions of different life forms. Another difference is that the Earth is mostly covered with water. About 71% of the Earth’s area is covered by saltwater oceans. Earth is the only planet with liquid water on its surface. In addition, Earth’s atmosphere is mainly composed of nitrogen and oxygen, while the atmospheres of Venus and Mars are mainly composed of carbon dioxide.
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Geography of Earth
Earth has seven large landmasses called continents. Continents include Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Europe, Oceania, and Antarctica. It also has 5 main bodies of water known as oceans, including the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the South and the Arctic. The highest point above sea level on Earth is Mount Everest and the lowest point is the Mariana Trench.
Composition of the Earth
The earth is made up of many layers. Outside is a layer of rock called the crust. Below is the coating followed by the outer core and the inner core.
Planet Earth is made up of several elements. The central core of the Earth is composed mainly of iron and nickel. The outer crust of the earth is made up of several elements. The most abundant were oxygen (46%), silicon (27.7%), aluminum (8.1%), iron (5%) and calcium (3.6%).
The Earth’s Moon
Earth has a moon or natural satellite. You may have seen it! Earth’s moon is the fifth largest moon in the solar system.
Interesting Facts about Planet Earth
You may think the earth is a perfect circle, but it is actually an oblate sphere. This is because the middle of the Earth or the equator is slightly domed due to the Earth’s rotation.
The inner core of the Earth is hotter than the surface of the Sun.
It is the fifth largest of the eight planets.
Small earthquakes always happen somewhere on Earth.