Planet Earth Facts

The Planet Earth was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago. So far, our very own Planet Earth is the only planet that harbors life. From the ancient years, there were many theories regarding the shape of the earth and the many myths associated with it as well. Today, our Planet Earth faces threat due to human intervention and activities. Have you ever wondered how this name was derived? Or what is the approximate distance of the Planet Earth from the sun? Let us now unearth some interesting facts about Planet Earth and know what makes this Planet really so special to us.

Planet Earth Facts:

• The Earth is not actually round in shape; in fact it is geoid. This simply means that the rounded shape has a slight bulge towards the equator.
• So what causes this geoid shape? This happens solely because the rotation of the Earth which causes the bulge around the equator.
• Earth is the third planet from the Sun. This is also the fifth largest planet in the entire solar system.
• Did you know this interesting fact about Planet Earth that it is the only planet whose name has not been derived from the Roman or Greek mythology? The name has originated from the 8th century Anglo Saxon word- Erda. This means ground or soil.
• Here’s another Planet Earth fact- oceans cover around 70% of the Earth’s surface. The way the water vapor is distributed through the atmosphere results in the weather that is experienced on Planet Earth.
• The Planet Earth takes approximately 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.091 seconds to rotate around its axis. Therefore, on an average, the Planet Earth takes around 24 hours to complete a full rotation.
• Our Planet Earth is divided into various layers that comprise the surface of the Earth. The Earth’s crust varies in terms of thickness. The inner core and the crust of the Planet Earth are solid in nature. Where as the outer core and the mantle layers are semi fluid in nature. The Earth’s crust is relatively thinner under the ocean floors and thicker in other areas.
• One can note that towards the surface, the air consists of around 78 percent nitrogen with 21 percent oxygen. This air also contains 1 percent of other ingredients. This is the kind of atmosphere that greatly affects the weather of Planet Earth. It also helps to shield us from harmful radiations that may emanate from the Sun.
• Gravity is what keeps all living beings alive and prevents them from falling off the Planet Earth as it completes its rotation.
• Another interesting fact about the Planet Earth is that the gravitational pull between the Earth and the moon is what causes the tides in the oceans and seas. This is also the reason why only one side of the Moon always faces us; the period of rotation is equivalent to the time it takes to orbit the Earth.
• The Planet Earth moves around 18.5 miles in a second in the orbit around the sun. It travels around 150 mikes per second in its rotation, which is around the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
• Explorer 6 first photographed our Planet Earth from space in the year 1959. Yuri Gagarin was the first human to be able to view Planet Earth from space in the year 1961.
• Our Planet Earth’s hydrosphere consists mainly of water and when one speaks about water, it means oceans. This includes all the seas, lakes and even water bodies that flow underground. This abundance of water is what sets the Planet Earth apart from other planets.
• The Earth is one such planet that provides an atmosphere, which helps to sustain life. It has the requisite amount of water and other conditions that are so very essential for any form of life to exist.
• Our Planet Earth is only slightly larger than Venus. But due to the dense nickel core, which is present in the center of the Earth, we can see that Venus has only 80 percent the mass of Earth.
• The four seasons that we experience on Planet Earth are a result of the Earth’s axis of rotation. This is tilted at an angle, which is more than 23 degrees.
• Did you know that the field of gravity is not the same in all areas over the surface of the Earth? This is probably why you feel slightly heavier in certain areas.

These are just a few of the amazing facts about Planet Earth. Today, we must do all we can to save out Planet from the effects of Global warming. Each one in his/her own way can help to make a difference. Remember, all we need is a little effort from our side.