Interesting Facts about Earth

Earth is a unique planet of our Solar System. Among other known celestial bodies this is the only planet which has ideal temperatures for supporting life. The atmosphere is also conducive for life in comparison to other planets and known celestial bodies. Below are the main Geographical and Scientific Facts about Earth –

Facts about Earth: Position and Motion in Solar System

Of all 9 planets Earth stands at third position in distance from Sun. First being Mercury, second is Venus, third is Earth, fourth is Venus, fifth is Jupiter, sixth is Saturn, seventh is Uranus, Eighth is Neptune and last is Pluto. Earth has one satellite (the moon).
Average distance of Earth from Sun is 150,000,000 Km.
In ancient times Earth was considered as the centre of Solar system. It was Copernicus who proved that Sun stands at the centre and the other planets revolve around it.

Facts about Earth: Shape and Size

Shape of Earth is considered Oblate Spheroid which means Earth is not complete spherical but it is compressed at the poles and bulging slightly outside at the equators. Equatorial diameter of Earth is 12,757 Km while the polar diameter is 12,714 Km.
Polar circumference – 40,008 Km. Equatorial circumference – 40,075.16 Km
Total Surface Area – 509,700,000 Sq Km, Land Area – 148,400,000 Sq Km(29 %), Water area -361,300,000 Sq Km(71 %).

Facts about Earth: Rotation and Revolution

Earth completes one spin along the polar axis in 23 hrs 56 minutes and 4.09 seconds.
Earth completes one revolution around the sun in 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes and 9.54 seconds.
The daily rotation of Earth causes days and nights while the annual revolution causes change of seasons.

Facts about Earth: Surface Features

Highest point of land – Mount Everest, which is 8,848 m above the mean sea level
Lowest Point on land – Shore of Dead Sea, which is 399 m below sea level
Mean height of land – 756m
Deepest point in water – Mariana Trench in Pacific Ocean southwest of Guam. It is 11,033 m below the sea surface.

Chemical Makeup of the Earth’s Crust

(Per cent by weight) – Oxygen 46.6 %, Silicon 27.7 %, Aluminium 8.1 %, Iron 5 %, Calcium 3.6 %, Sodium 2.8 %, Potassium 2.6 %, Magnesium 2.0 %, Other elements 1.6 %

Inclination of Polar Axis

Earth’s polar axis is inclined to vertical axis (line perpendicular to orbital plane) at angle of 23 deg. 26 min and 59 sec.

Orbital speed of Earth

Orbital speed of Earth around the Sun is 29.8 Km/s

Escape Velocity from Earth

Escape velocity of any object thrown from Earth is 11.2 Km/s

Distance from Sun

Mean Distance is 1 astronomical unit (149,598,500 Km).
Max distance between Earth and Sun during Aphelion (in between July 2 to July 5) is 152 million Km.
Minimum distance between Earth and Sun during Perihelion (in between Jan 2 to Jan 5) is 147 million Km.

Age of Earth

6 Billion years

Mass of Earth

976 x 10²⁴ Kg

Mean Density of Earth

5510 Kg/Cubic meter