Posted by Facts about the Earth
1) Earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system. Its name comes from the old English and Germanic words meaning ‘the ground’.
2) Our amazing planet has been around for quite some time. By researching our planet’s rocks, scientists have calculated the Earth to be around 4.5 billion years old.
3) Earth orbits around the sun at 30 kilometres per second. It takes 365 days for the Earth to complete one full orbit.
4) The Earth is tilted 23.4 degrees on its ‘axis’ through the middle of the planet from the North Pole to the South Pole. This means that different parts of the globe are tilted towards the sun at different times of the year.
5) Not only does Earth zoom through space, it also spins on its axis. Therefore, we have daytime and nighttime. Therefore, when the planet rotates, the side facing the sun receives daylight and the other is in darkness.
Related link: 8 Facts About The Moon That You Might Not Know
6) People often think of Earth as a gigantic sphere. However, its shape is more like a squashed ball that bulges out at the equator which is an imaginary line around the middle of the planet placed exactly between the North Pole and the South Pole.
7) This ‘bulge’ is caused by the Earth’s spin and the effect of ‘gravity‘. Gravity is an invisible force that attracts objects towards each other. Therefore, it is this force that pulls things towards the Earth and stops us floating off into space
8) The Earth’s diameter measures a huge 12,800 kilometres, making it the fifth largest planet in the solar system.
9) Earth is the only planet in our solar system known to support life. This is because it has two very important things that living creatures need to survive which are oxygen and water. Furthermore, the Earth’s distance from the sun allows it to not be too hot and not too cold for living beings to live on.
10) Earth’s ‘atmosphere’ is also hugely important for sustaining life, mostly oxygen and nitrogen. It also works in protecting our planet from the sun’s strong rays. At the same time, the atmosphere helps keep the Earth’s temperature comfortable for living beings while also protecting us from meteors.
