Earth

What is Earth Like?

Earth is the third planet from the sun in the solar system. It is about 150 million km away from the sun. It is very different from the other seven planets in our solar system. As far as we know, it is the only planet with air we can breathe. It is the only planet with plants and animals. It is the only planet with liquid water. In fact, Earth’s surface is almost three-fourths water. It is not too hot and not too cold. The average temperature is about 7.2 °C. It is just right for us to live on.

Earth has air we can breathe. Our air is a mixture of gases that surround Earth. It is kept in place by the pull of Earth’s gravity. If Earth were a much smaller planet like Mercury, its gravity would be too weak to hold the air around Earth. The air around Earth, including the ozone layer, protects us from harmful rays from the sun.

From space, Earth is a very pretty planet. It looks like a blue marble covered with swirling white clouds. Beneath the clouds are brown areas of land and blue oceans. It takes Earth one year or 365 days to orbit around the sun. It takes Earth one day or 24 hours to revolve on its axis. Earth has one moon. If you want to visit a planet with the most interesting features in the solar system, you already live there!

(Information taken from edhelper.com and Astronomy For Kids websites)

KEY FACTS

1 orbit of Sun (year): 365 days

1 rotation (day): 24 hours

Average distance from Sun: 150 million km

Diameter: 12, 756 km

Average Temperature: 15 °C

Atmosphere: nitrogen which is what plants breathe and oxygen which is what humans breathe

Surface: is mostly covered by water

Natural Satellites (moons): 1

Ring System: no