100 Earth Facts: A Scientific List of Facts About Earth
Earth needs no introduction. From its origin to its inevitable future, the story of Earth is greatest story ever told. Get started with this list of 100 Earth facts.
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What Is the Troposphere?
The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere. It starts at ground level and extends upwards to about 13 km. All weather occurs in the troposphere.
What Color Is the Moon?
The color of the moon is mostly grey. And the lunar maria are dark grey. The 4 most dominant rocks are: mare basalts, breccia, anorthosite and regolith.
Mars Atmosphere Compared to Earth
Carbon dioxide dominates Mars atmosphere. But Earth is rich in nitrogen and oxygen. Mars has a much thinner atmosphere. In fact, Earth is 100x denser.
Lunar Maria: Volcanic Basins on the Moon
The dark areas on the moon are lunar maria which in Latin means “seas”. They’re called maria because early scientists believed they could see oceans there.
How Big Is the Moon?
How big is the moon? It’s about 1/4 (27%) the size in diameter of Earth. Alternatively, you can think of the moon being about as wide as the United States.
How to Measure the Distance to the Moon
How do we measure the distance between the Earth and the Moon? Astronomers use parallax, lunar eclipses, radar and laser ranging to measure lunar distance.
10 Little-Known Facts About Volcanoes
Ready to learn about volcanoes? From lightning that sparks at a volcano to its deadly hazards, we’re going to dive into 10 little-known facts about volcanoes
Lahar: Flowing Mud at Volcanoes
“Lahar” is an Indonesian word for mudflow at volcanoes. Lahar flows down volcanoes as a mix of mostly water, mud and rock debris (similar to wet concrete).
Inside Earth: The Crust, Mantle and Core
All planets have layers. Inside Earth, we have a crust, core and mantle. Imagine a team of drillers who set out to drill a hole to the other side of Earth.
What is a Stratovolcano (Composite Cone)?
The stratovolcano is tall, steep & cone-shaped. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes build up height by layering lava, ash and tephra on top of another.
3 Types of Faults: Normal, Reverse and Strike-Slip
The 3 types of faults are: normal, reverse and strike-slip. When two blocks slide horizontally, it’s strike-slip. If it moves vertically, it’s dip-slip.
What is Permafrost? Why It’s Like the Glue for Rock and Soil
Think of permafrost like glue. The ice is the glue in permafrost which holds the rocks, sand & soil. Like glue, permafrost doesn’t melt. Instead, it thaws.
What Causes Tsunamis? A Guide to How Tsunamis Form
Tsunamis are long, tall waves that can be disastrous to anything nearby. But what causes tsunamis? 80% start from earthquakes. And how do tsunamis form?
How Fast Does the Earth Spin? Earth vs The Engineered
How fast does the Earth spin? Earth spins at an incredible 1000 miles per hour (1600 km/hr). We compare the Earth’s spin to nature and engineered velocities