Search results
People also ask
What are some unique features of Earth?
What makes Earth unique?
What are some interesting facts about Earth?
What makes Earth unique compared to other planets?
May 11, 2023 · Earth’s unique characteristics are what has allowed it to support life; These characteristics include its stable temperature, a dense nitrogen-based atmosphere, and its position in the Solar system, among others.
- Earth is the third planet from the Sun and is the largest of the four terrestrial planets namely Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars (Order of the planets from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (the dwarf planet)).
- The existence of water in the liquid phase on Earth is due to the temperature span that exists on the Earth: 0 – 100 degree Celsius. Water boils at 100 degree Celsius, thus converting it into gas and making it unusable for consumption by living beings including humans, animals, and birds, etc.
- Earth is the only place in the solar system where water can be present in all the three states – solid, liquid and gas.
- We are all traveling around the Sun at an average velocity of 107,182 kilometers per hour. And at the same time, we are also spinning with an enormous speed – that could be 1000 miles per hour depending on your position on Earth.
- Namesake. The name Earth is at least 1,000 years old. All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. However, the name Earth is a Germanic word, which simply means “the ground.”
- Potential for Life. Earth has a very hospitable temperature and mix of chemicals that have made life abundant here. Most notably, Earth is unique in that most of our planet is covered in liquid water, since the temperature allows liquid water to exist for extended periods of time.
- Size and Distance. With an equatorial diameter of 7926 miles (12,760 kilometers), Earth is the biggest of the terrestrial planets and the fifth largest planet in our solar system.
- Orbit and Rotation. As Earth orbits the Sun, it completes one rotation every 23.9 hours. It takes 365.25 days to complete one trip around the Sun. That extra quarter of a day presents a challenge to our calendar system, which counts one year as 365 days.
Apr 22, 2022 · From the liquid oceans to the steady spin, all these features combine to make Earth unique in one particularly important way: Earth is the only world known to host living beings.
- 1 min
- Clara Moskowitz,Meghan Bartels
- The Right Size. Any planet to host life must have an atmosphere. If the Earth was smaller it couldn't hold its atmosphere and life couldn't be sustained.
- The Right Distance From Its Star. To host life a planet must be located within the so-called habitable zone: i.e. be placed at the right distance from its home star, where liquid water can exist on the orbiting planet's surface.
- The Right Star. By providing light and heat, solar energy is an indispensable ingredient for life. But for life to thrive, the planet-star relationship must be the perfect fit.
- Liquid Water. For life, water in liquid form is essential. Due to its very unique properties, it is the indispensable solvent for all forms of life as we know them.
While Earth is only the fifth largest planet in the solar system, it is the only world in our solar system with liquid water on the surface. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the four planets closest to the Sun, all of which are made of rock and metal.
With a radius of 3,959 miles, Earth is the fifth largest planet in our solar system, and it's the only one known for sure to have liquid water on its surface. Earth is also unique in terms of...
