Earth is the third planet from the Sun. It’s also one of eight planets in our Solar System and it’s a terrestrial planet, meaning that its surface consists mainly of rock or other solid matter rather than gas like Uranus (the seventh) and Neptune (the eighth). Earth formed approximately 4.54 billion years ago, which means it has had plenty time for life to form on its surface as well!
Earth’s atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 0.9% argon, with trace amounts of carbon dioxide and other gaseous molecules. As the earth rotates on its axis, different areas receive different amounts of solar radiation (both shortwave and ultraviolet light). This equatorial thermal variation accounts for much of earth’s weather patterns. Most clouds are actually made up of minute water droplets but they can also contain ice crystals or sea salt particles. They usually form in convective currents resulting from temperature gradients such as those caused by ocean currents, friction from land masses or mountainous regions or heating due to sunlight reflecting off snow-fields.
Even though the earth is mostly covered by oceans there are continents that make up the earth’s landmasses. There are about five continents that make up the earth, these are Asia, North America, South America, Africa, and Europe. They have been separated by oceans that contain saltwater such that they cannot be transported to one another via wind or wave action. The earth in total is classed as a terrestrial planet (which means it’s made of rock and other solids) and it’s composed of 4 layers: The crust, the mantle, core, and the outermost layer. The earth’s crust is made up of different types of rocks. Sedimentary rocks become hard when they are pressed together and baked; Igneous rocks cool down so quickly that there isn’t enough time for crystals to form, so the earth core is thought to be made mainly of iron.
The earth mantle makes up most of the earth’s volume and consists mostly of silicates, which our earth core flows through. This molten iron gives rise to Earth’s magnetic field. The earth’s surface is broken into pieces called plates; these are more like elastic skin than rigid sheets. When two plates collide they move along each other, or one will slide underneath the other this process occurs over millions of years that cause earth landmasses to rise in mountains or new oceanic crust forms due to volcanic activity on the seafloor as well as earthquakes and volcanoes!
The earth is surrounded by a thin layer known as the earth’s atmosphere; the earth’s largest moon is known as the earth’s natural satellite. earth is unique in that earth has life on earth’s surface and earth has oceans of water which are believed to be earth’s most abundant liquid-solid! The earth’s atmosphere contains oxygen which is a gas vital for the survival of all animals and plants. Earth has one moon called Earth’s Moon; it orbits around the earth every 28 days and rotates on its axis once per hour while the earth itself rotates once per day.
