Earth Earth is the third planet from the sun. It has volcanoes like on Venus and Mars, craters like those found on Mercury, and swirling weather systems like Neptune. However it’s the only planet that has both liquid and frozen ice, the only planet that has an atmosphere with rich in oxygen and finally the only planet --- as far as we know----- that has life. In space the earth would like a blue gem it’s colors coming from the expanses of the water on it’s surface. The earth

Seen from space, Earth is the only planet with a strong signs of life. The evidence ranges from plants that change with the seasons and oxygen in the atmosphere to artificial radio signals and lights at night. Artificial structures even the Great Wall of China are not easily seen from space. Earth at night

Earth is the largest of rocky planets it is the only planet that has a crust split into moving plates, oxygen in it’s atmosphere, and liquid water and life on it’s surface.

Earth orbits sun in days Earth orbits sun in days Spins on it’s axis once every hours Spins on it’s axis once every hours Axis tilts from the vertical by 23.5° Axis tilts from the vertical by 23.5°

Parts of the atmosphere What is in the atmosphere

Earth is about four times the size of the moon. Earth is about four times the size of the moon.

Earth’s structure Earth’s structure

Us!! Us!! Earth is the third planet from the sun Earth is the third planet from the sun

Ice More than a tenth a tenth of earth’s surface is covered in ice. Mostly in the ice caps at the poles, other planets, including mars, have polar ice caps, but only together. The ice caps grow in winter and shrink in summer, when giant icebergs break off into the surrounding ocean.

Earth is a Magnet For it’s size Earth has the strongest magnetic field of any planet. The magnetism arises in it’s core, where swirling currents of molten iron generate electric and magnetic fields. The magnetism changes direction as time passes, causing the magnetic poles to wander. At present the magnetic poles are about 2,000 km from the North and South Poles. Earth’s core behaves like a bar magnet at it’s center Earth’s core behaves like a bar magnet at it’s center

Magnetosphere Magnetosphere Earth’s magnetism extends far into space to form a huge “magnetic bubble” surrounding Earth. This magnetosphere protects Earth from the effects of the solar wind– electrical particles that sweep outward from the sun at high speeds. Some particles are trapped in two regions near earth, called the Van Allen belts. Other stream down to the magnetic poles, lighting up the atmosphere as auroras

Vital Statistics Vital Statistics Diameter: 12,756 km Average distance from the Sun: million km Orbital speed around Sun: km/s Sunrise to sunrise: 24 hours Mass (Earth=1): 1 Volume (Earth=1): 1 Average density (water=1): 5.52 Surface gravity (Earth=1): 1 Average surface temperature: 15°C Number of moons: 1 Diameter: 12,756 km Average distance from the Sun: million km Orbital speed around Sun: km/s Sunrise to sunrise: 24 hours Mass (Earth=1): 1 Volume (Earth=1): 1 Average density (water=1): 5.52 Surface gravity (Earth=1): 1 Average surface temperature: 15°C Number of moons: 1

Earth’s surface Shaped by Geoclinal forces that are found on no other planet, Earth’s surface is very unique. The crust (outer shell) is split into huge sections called plates. Because plates are always on the move, today’s map of the earth is the only a snapshot of a changing world. The moving plates float in a partially molten layer of rock. As they collide or move apart, the surface rocks are destroyed or renewed. These forces continually replace Earth’s rocks, so most parts of the surface are younger than 2 million years old.

Plate Tectonics Strip away oceans and a strange planet emerges. Earth’s surface is shaped by plate tectonics, the forces caused by the moving plates. There are 8 large plates and many small ones. Some consist only of ocean floor, while others include continents. The edges of the plates are marked by long cracks, winding ridges, strings of volcanoes, and earthquake zones. Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics

Drifting Continents Carried on top of the moving plates, the continents gradually drift over Earth’s surface about as fast as a fingernail grows. In the process, continents split apart. India, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica were once part of a single continent. India smashed into Asia thrusting up the mighty Himalayas in the process Pangaea!!!

Some Cool Pictures about Earth’s Surface

Silt washed down by the River Ganges will be compressed under the sea into solid rock, which may be pushed up again as mountains. Such sedimentary rocks result from erosion by rivers, glaciers, wind, or waves. Silt washed down by the River Ganges will be compressed under the sea into solid rock, which may be pushed up again as mountains. Such sedimentary rocks result from erosion by rivers, glaciers, wind, or waves.

Hawaiian volcanic islands come from a hot stream of lava that rises deep within Earth and emerges at a “hot spot” the moving Pacific Plate carries the island away, so the hot spot must break through the crust again and build up a new volcano volcano volcano