Earth: The Mother Planet

The planet Earth is the most special planet in the solar system to ourselves, for it is our home. It has often be referred to as Gaia (Mother) and is truly deserving of the name because the Earth houses countless numbers of lifeforms. No other planet in the solar system seems to have that characteristic. So much is known about our planet but little can really be understood of the complexities of our world. The earth is the third planet from the sun which puts it in the perfect place to support life. Any closer to the sun and it would be too hot; and any farther would be too cold. This page on Earth will be kept down to only general planetary information and will not get overly detailed on every aspect of earth.

Here is some general information on Earth:

• Diameter (miles)= 7,926
• Mass (trillion trillion lbs)= 13.177
• Density (earth=1)= 1
• Gravity (earth=1)= 1
• Period of Rotation (hours)= 23.9
• Escape Velocity (mph)= 25,055
• Major Atmospheric Gas= Nitrogen
• Inclination of Equator (degrees)= 23.5
• Known Moons= 1
• Mean Orbital Velocity (mph)= 66,641
• Minimum Distance From Sun= 91.4 (millions of miles)
• Maximum Distance From Sun= 94.5 (millions of miles)
• Mean Distance From Sun= 93 (millions of miles)
• Period of Revolution (earth years)= 1

Here is detailed information on Earth:

Surface and Atmosphere--

As many perople already know, the earth is about 70% water which is mostly ocean and has an average depth of 12,450 feet. The oceans, lakes and rivers make up what is known as the hydrosphere which animals and plants need to live. Land makes up the other 30% and the largest bodies of land are called continents. The earth, like other planets some other planets in the solar system has poles at either end. All the continents and ocean basins are part of the earth's crust which varies from five to twenty miles thick. Air surrounds the earth and extends as far as 1,000 miles above the surface. The earth's atmosphere is made up of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Small amounts of other gases (less than 1%) are also present. Also present in the air are water particles and dust particles. In the lowest part of the earth's atmosphere, the troposphere, are clouds. The farther away air is from the surface, the thinner it gets until it gradually fades into space.

Within the earth--

Under the earth's crust is a ball of hot rock and metal. This "ball" is divided into three sections: mantle, outer core, inner core The mantle lies just below the crust and extends downward for about 1,800 miles. The rock that makes up this part of the mantle consists of silicon, oxygen, aluminum, iron and magnesium. The upper part of the mantle can reach a temperature of about 1,600 degrees Fareheit. As you go deeper the temperature can hit 4,000 degrees. At this point the mantle meets the outer core.
The outer core is believed to be about 1,400 miles thick and is made of melted iron and nickel. The temperature ranges from 4,000 to 9,000 degrees Farenheit.
Making up the center of the earth is the ball-shaped inner core. It lies about 3,200 miles below the surface. The center of the inner core lies another 800 miles past that. It is believed that the inner core is made of solid iron and nickel with the temperature reaching 9,000 degrees Farenheit.