Refiner of Gold Creations'

Solar System -- Earth

The Third Planet
Earth
  • Diameter and circumference of the earth:
    • Equatoral diameter is 7,927 miles (12,757 km)
    • Polar diameter is 7,899.83 miles.
    • Equatorial circumference is 24,902 miles (40,075 km).
    • Polar circumference is 24,860 miles (40,008 km).
  • Average distance is 92,900,000 miles (149.6 million km) from the sun --
    • Perihelion is at 91,500,000 miles (147,100,000 km).
    • Aphelion is at 94,500,000 miles (152,100,000 km).
  • Average surface temperature (variable with climate) is 58°F (14°C).
  • The Earth has one moon.
  • Rotation takes 23 hours 56 minutes.
  • Revolution takes 365.26 days.
  • Axial inclination is 23.5°.
  • Earth's density is 5.522 times that of water:
    • The density of water is 1 at 4°C.
    • Equivalent to 344.7 pounds per cubic foot.
    • The Earth is the densest of all Solar System planets.
    • Earth's central core is comprised of a heavy nickel an iron mixture with a relative density of 13 times that of water.
  • The weight of the earth is estimated to be 6.586 x 10^21 tons.
    • OR 6,586 billion billion tons...
    • OR 6586 followed by 18 zeros!!!
  • Composition and structure of the Earth:
    • The Earth is comprised of a core of nickel and iron, a mantle of molten material, and a crust of lighter, silicate-based material.
    • Diameter of the solid inner core is 1,390 miles (2,400 km).
    • The temperature at the Earth's core is 6,690°F (3,700°C), though melting of the nickel and iron core is not possibly due to immense pressure.
    • The outer core of molten iron and nickel, with smaller amounts of silicon, is 1,400 miles (2,250 km) thick.
    • The 1,800 mile- (2,900 km-) thick mantle is comprised of a mixture of molten rock which moves in convection cells as it heats and cools.
    • The top layer, or crust, varies in thickness form about 3.75 miles (6 km) thick beneath the ovean floors, to about 40 miles thick in mountainous areas of continental crust.
    • Sections of crust above the mantle's convection cells, or tectonic plates, push against one another or separate from each other, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
  • The action of Earth's rotation on the solid metal core and surrounding molten mantle create electromagnetic currents within the Earth.
  • These electromagnetic currents form a magnetic field around the Earth in a North-South plane.
  • The third planet from the Sun, Earth is the 5th largest and the 5th smallest in terms of volume.
  • Earth's atmosphere:
    • It is comprised of 78.08% nitrogen, 2094% oxygen, 0.93% argon, varying amounts of water vapor, and other gases.
    • Sufficient amounts of water exist in the atmosphere to cover the entire surface of the planet 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep.
    • Earth's ionosphere is approximately 100 miles (160 km) above the plaent's surface, reflecting some radio wave transmissions and allowing others to pass.
    • The troposphere is the lowest layer of atmosphere where weather and wind occur.
    • The troposphere is about 10 miles (16 km) thick at the equator, but only about 5 miles (8 km) deep at the poles.
    • Tropics, with their vast rain forests, drive the weather systems feeding the Earth with 368,000 cubic miles (450,000 km3) of water drawn up as vapor from the oceans annually.
    • Without this vital water vapor, rain and snow could not precipitate in the higher latitudes and the life cycle on Earth would eventually disappear.
  • The only planet in the Solar System capable of life, Earth is also the only highly-colored object in the sky with its blue oceans and white clouds.
  • A geologically active planet, Earth has more than 500 active volcanoes today, about 80 of which are beneath the surface of Earth's oceans.
For more information on Earth, visit:

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Refiner of Gold Creations
1998 Solar System Facts
Created by EMC on 6/23/1997. Updated 5/4/2005.