Earth is the only terrestrial planet whose name was not received
by Greek mythology. Earth is instead of English/German origin. Earth
is the only planet where life has definitely been detected (the
jury is still out on Mars!). Large quantities of both oxygen and water
are present, in fact over 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with
water. Beneath the surface, Earth is known to have a large core, most
likely made up of iron. At the centre of the core, temperatures may
reach as high as 7750°C, hotter than the surface of the Sun. The
existence of this core, and Earth's many other layers, particularly
the mantle, make it the densest major body in our Solar System.
Plate tectonics exist beneath the Earth's surface, floating on the hot
mantle. Where these eight major plates meet, there is instability beneath
the surface and this causes many occurrences such as earthquakes which,
along with erosion, means that the surface of the Earth is ever changing.
The Earth is almost five billion years old, and has one Moon orbiting
it.
Earth is the only terrestrial planet whose name was not received
by Greek mythology. Earth is instead of English/German origin. Earth
is the only planet where life has definitely been detected (the
jury is still out on Mars!). Large quantities of both oxygen and water
are present, in fact over 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with
water. Beneath the surface, Earth is known to have a large core, most
likely made up of iron. At the centre of the core, temperatures may
reach as high as 7750°C, hotter than the surface of the Sun. The
existence of this core, and Earth's many other layers, particularly
the mantle, make it the densest major body in our Solar System.