Earth's thin layer of atmosphere provides all of these elements. Living things also need nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. Seventy-one percent of its surface is covered by water. Most organisms - both plants and animals - must also have water to live. At night the atmosphere prevents most of the radiant heat from escaping back into space, keeping the surface warm. The atmosphere filters radiant energy during the day, preventing the surface from overheating. The atmosphere moderates daytime and nighttime temperature swings. These organisms can live on Earth because it has an atmosphere. Animals and plants live almost everywhere on the surface of Earth. The planet is only a tiny part of the universe, but it is the home of human beings and many other organisms. It is the only planet in our solar system that has the components necessary to support life as we recognize it. Without these gasses, known as the natural greenhouse effect, heat would immediately return to space, making it almost as cold as Mars.Įarth is truly a remarkable planet. Heat-trapping gasses like water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone affect the speed at which this radiation is returned to space. This unreflected solar radiation is turned into infrared radiation, or heat. Most of the energy reaches the troposphere as visible light, infrared radiation, and a small amount of ultraviolet radiation that wasn't absorbed by the stratosphere. About 34% of the solar energy reaching the troposphere is reflected back into space by clouds, dust, chemicals. Earth receives only about one-billionth of the sun's energy. This energy travels at the speed of light and reaches Earth in slightly more than 8 minutes. Tremendous pressure and temperatures in its inner core fuses the hydrogen nuclei and forms helium, releasing enormous amounts of energy. The sun is a huge ball of hydrogen (72%) and helium (28%) gases. Solar energy drives the climate and weather systems of our planet. Our sun is the source of energy for life. However, particles of the atmosphere are found 1,000 miles (1,600 km.) in space above the planet's surface. More than 99% of earth's atmosphere is less than 50 miles (80 km.) high. Ozone filters out most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. The stratosphere, or outer layer, stretches 11-30 miles above sea level and contains ozone (O3). It contains most of the planet's air, which consists of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). Its inner layer is called the troposphere and reaches only 11 miles above sea level. The atmosphere is a thin, gaseous layer of air that envelops the planet. Temperatures of - 128° F (-89° C) have been recorded at Vostok station in Antarctica. The highest temperatures on Earth have reached 136° F (58° C) at Al Asisiyah, Libya. Water covers approximately 139,500,000 square miles, or 71% of the total surface area. Approximately 57,300,000 square miles, or 29% of the total surface area is land. Earth's axis is tilted at a 23.5° angle.Įarth has a total surface area of 196,800,000 square miles.
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It makes one full revolution around the sun every 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.45 seconds. The planet rotates once every 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09 seconds. It is estimated to be over 4.5 billion years old.
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