The circumference of the Earth would then be 50 times the overland distance between Alexandria and Syene. Earth's shape furthermore has local topographic variations. The 45th parallel north is often called the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole, but the true halfway point is 16.0 km (9.9 mi) north of it (approximately between 4508'36" and 4508'37") because Earth . Finally, accurate calculation of latitude and longitude had become possible. Flat vs. Round Earth Calculator Jupiter, which is 318 more massive than Earth, is less dense because it is made primarily of gases, such as hydrogen. Nevertheless, Earth's hydrosphere also consists of water in the atmosphere and on land, including clouds, inland seas, lakes, rivers, and underground waters down to a depth of 2,000m (6,600ft). How accurate it actually was is not known because of uncertainty in the conversion between the medieval Arabic units and modern units, but in any case, technical limitations of the methods and tools would not permit an accuracy better than about 5%. Calculating the Circumference of the Earth | Science Project For comparison, the total surface area of Venus is roughly 178 million square miles (460 million square km) , and that of Mars is about 56 million square miles (144 million square km). [24], The Modern English word Earth developed, via Middle English, from an Old English noun most often spelled eore. The fastest-moving plates are the oceanic plates, with the Cocos Plate advancing at a rate of 75mm/a (3.0in/year)[124] and the Pacific Plate moving 5269mm/a (2.02.7in/year). Mars is much smaller than both Earth and Venus, with an equatorial radius of just 2,110 miles (3,396 km). [232], Thermal energy causes some of the molecules at the outer edge of the atmosphere to increase their velocity to the point where they can escape from Earth's gravity. Beneath the ocean-floor sediments, the oceanic crust is predominantly basaltic, while the continental crust may include lower density materials such as granite, sediments and metamorphic rocks. In other words, if you could drive your car around the equator of the Earth. So he multiplied 500 by 50 to arrive at his estimate of the Earth's circumference: 25,000 miles. Over the period of hundreds of millions of years, tectonic forces have caused areas of continental crust to group together to form supercontinents that have subsequently broken apart. Enabled by science, particularly Earth observation,[281] humans have started to take action on environmental issues globally,[282] acknowledging the impact of humans and the interconnectedness of Earth's environments. [64] The incorporation of smaller cells within larger ones resulted in the development of complex cells called eukaryotes. Those numbers make Earth just slightly bigger than Venus, whose equatorial radius is about 3,761 miles (6,052 km). Imagine the Universe! The oceans cover an area of 361.8millionkm2 (139.7millionsqmi) with a mean depth of 3,682m (12,080ft), resulting in an estimated volume of 1.332billionkm3 (320millioncumi). The calculator below calculates Earth radius at a given latitude. Because unfixed hydrogen has a low molecular mass, it can achieve escape velocity more readily, and it leaks into outer space at a greater rate than other gases. [154] Because Earth's solar day is now slightly longer than it was during the 19th century due to tidal deceleration, each day varies between 0 and 2 ms longer than the mean solar day. At the equator of the magnetic field, the magnetic-field strength at the surface is 3.05105 T, with a magnetic dipole moment of 7.791022 Am2 at epoch 2000, decreasing nearly 6% per century (although it still remains stronger than its long time average). Earth: By the Numbers - NASA Measured around the poles, the circumference is 40,007.863km (24,859.734mi).[1]. It reaches down about 36,200 feet (11,034 m) below sea level. A nebula contains gas, ice grains, and dust (including primordial nuclides). [116][117], Earth's mechanically rigid outer layer of Earth's crust and upper mantle, the lithosphere, is divided into tectonic plates. Earth's surface is continually being shaped by internal plate tectonic processes including earthquakes and volcanism; by weathering and erosion driven by ice, water, wind and temperature; and by biological processes including the growth and decomposition of biomass into soil. Pliny, for example, has quoted a value of 252,000 stadia. Another convention capitalizes "Earth" when appearing as a name (for example, "Earth's atmosphere") but writes it in lowercase when preceded by the (for example, "the atmosphere of the earth"). Calculation precision Radius (km) Earth radius [210] This last phenomenon is the greenhouse effect: trace molecules within the atmosphere serve to capture thermal energy emitted from the surface, thereby raising the average temperature. How large is Earth? | Cool Cosmos The meridional circumference that is from pole to pole is 40,008 km. Earth orbits the Sun, making Earth the third-closest planet to the Sun and part of the inner Solar System. [222] Places close to oceans typically have colder summers and warmer winters, due to the fact that oceans can store large amounts of heat. What happened? Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. One nautical mile is a length equal to 1,852 meters, or 1.852 kilometers. Earth - Wikipedia [120], As the tectonic plates migrate, oceanic crust is subducted under the leading edges of the plates at convergent boundaries. [224] Finally, temperatures decrease with height causing mountainous areas to be colder than low-lying areas. Circumference and Diameter of the Earth - Universe Today Due to Earth's rotation it has the shape of an ellipsoid, bulging at its Equator, reaching 43 kilometers (27mi) further out from its center of mass than at its poles. These dates change over time due to precession and other orbital factors, which follow cyclical patterns known as Milankovitch cycles. [95] This vast pool of salty water is often called the world ocean,[96][97] and makes Earth with its dynamic hydrosphere a water world[98][99] or ocean world. The result is atmospheric circulation that drives the weather and climate through redistribution of thermal energy. Everest and Chimborazo are nowhere near the tallest mountains in the solar system, however. About 71% of our planet is covered by water and 29% by land. [146] Because the velocity of the solar wind is greater than the speed at which waves propagate through the solar wind, a supersonic bow shock precedes the dayside magnetosphere within the solar wind. Why the Two Measurements? [9] Cleomedes invites his reader to consider two Egyptian cities, Alexandria and Syene (modern Assuan): According to Cleomedes' On the Circular Motions of the Celestial Bodies, around 240 BC, Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth in Ptolemaic Egypt. [22] However, the method could not provide more accurate results than previous methods, due to technical limitations, and so al-Biruni accepted the value calculated the previous century by the al-Ma'mun expedition. ", "Eratosthenes and the Mystery of the Stades How Long Is a Stade? [6] Pliny the Elder mentions Posidonius among his sources andwithout naming himreported his method for estimating the Earth's circumference. This causes the seasonal change in climate, with summer in the Northern Hemisphere occurring when the Tropic of Cancer is facing the Sun, and in the Southern Hemisphere when the Tropic of Capricorn faces the Sun. Planetary Fact Table - metric units [78] Earth's increasing surface temperature will accelerate the inorganic carbon cycle, reducing CO2 concentration to levels lethally low for plants (10ppm for C4 photosynthesis) in approximately 100900million years. Mount Everest is the highest place on Earth above sea level, at 29,032 feet (8,849 meters), but it is not the highest point on Earth that is, the place most distant from the center of the Earth. The circumference of the Earth in kilometers is 40,075 km, and the circumference of the Earth in miles is 24,901. The orbital and axial planes are not precisely aligned: Earth's axis is tilted some 23.44 degrees from the perpendicular to the EarthSun plane (the ecliptic), and the Earth-Moon plane is tilted up to 5.1 degrees against the EarthSun plane. Previously, he was a Technology Editor at The New York Times and the Online Editor at the Des Moines Register. [279][280] In particular, this caused a realization of the scope of effects from human activity on Earth's environment. Images of Earth taken from space, particularly during the Apollo program, have been credited with altering the way that people viewed the planet that they lived on, called the overview effect, emphasizing its beauty, uniqueness and apparent fragility. Around 250 B.C., another Greek philosopher, Eratosthenes, measured the circumference of the Earth using the following equation: (360 ) x (s) [217], Earth receives 1361W/m2 ofsolar irradiance. [36] By 4.540.04Ga the primordial Earth had formed. [269] This increase in temperature, known as global warming, has contributed to the melting of glaciers, rising sea levels, increased risk of drought and wildfires, and migration of species to colder areas. Nevertheless, based on a map by Toscanelli, he chose to believe that the Earth's circumference was 25% smaller. [134] At the center, the temperature may be up to 6,000C (10,830F),[135] and the pressure could reach 360GPa (52millionpsi). One careful reading gives an equivalent of 14,200 kilometres (8,800mi), too large by 11%. These plates are rigid segments that move relative to each other at one of three boundaries types: at convergent boundaries, two plates come together; at divergent boundaries, two plates are pulled apart; and at transform boundaries, two plates slide past one another laterally. [275] The Gaia hypothesis, developed in the mid-20th century, compared Earth's environments and life as a single self-regulating organism leading to broad stabilization of the conditions of habitability.[276][277][278]. ", "Atmospheric pressure as a natural climate regulator for a terrestrial planet with a biosphere", "The end of life on Earth is not the end of the world: converging to an estimate of life span of the biosphere? Circumference of the Earth - Cuemath The outer layer is a chemically distinct silicate solid crust, which is underlain by a highly viscous solid mantle. Parallel to the rigid land topography the Ocean exhibits a more dynamic topography. There are at least five quasi-satellites, including 469219 Kamooalewa. [161][n 10] This is the maximum distance at which Earth's gravitational influence is stronger than the more distant Sun and planets. Here's how to see them, These 3 Orion spacecraft will carry Artemis astronauts to the moon (photo), Jam packed issues filled with the latest cutting-edge research, technology and theories delivered in an entertaining and visually stunning way, aiming to educate and inspire readers of all ages, Engaging articles, breathtaking images and expert knowledge. [79][80] The lack of vegetation will result in the loss of oxygen in the atmosphere, making animal life impossible. In its earliest attestation, the word eore was already being used to translate the many senses of Latin terra and Greek g: the ground, its soil, dry land, the human world, the surface of the world (including the sea), and the globe itself. Of the four rocky planets, it is the largest and most massive. Since the second half of the 20th century, some hundreds of humans have temporarily stayed beyond Earth, a tiny fraction of whom have reached another celestial body, the Moon.[252][253]. [190] About 97.5% of the water is saline; the remaining 2.5% is fresh water. Namesake The name Earth is at least 1,000 years old. By the era of Early Modern English, capitalization of nouns began to prevail, and the earth was also written the Earth, particularly when referenced along with other heavenly bodies. These plumes can produce hotspots and flood basalts. At higher latitudes, the sunlight reaches the surface at lower angles, and it must pass through thicker columns of the atmosphere. The changing EarthSun distance causes an increase of about 6.8% in solar energy reaching Earth at perihelion relative to aphelion. Is It the Earliest Surviving Instance of Spherical Cartography? The final major mode of heat loss is through conduction through the lithosphere, the majority of which occurs under the oceans because the crust there is much thinner than that of the continents. Earth, third planet from the Sun and the fifth largest planet in the solar system in terms of size and mass. [143] The convection movements in the core are chaotic; the magnetic poles drift and periodically change alignment. More recently, the name is sometimes simply given as Earth, by analogy with the names of the other planets, though earth and forms with the remain common. Could another one start? [128] The thickness of the crust varies from about 6 kilometers (3.7mi) under the oceans to 3050km (1931mi) for the continents. At the other extreme, the slowest-moving plate is the South American Plate, progressing at a typical rate of 10.6mm/a (0.42in/year). [199] Most of this salt was released from volcanic activity or extracted from cool igneous rocks. Earth Earth is 11.0x smaller than Jupiter DATE OF DISCOVERY Unknown Unknown DISCOVERED BY Known by the Ancients Known by the Ancients AVERAGE ORBIT DISTANCE 92,956,050 miles 483,638,564 miles MEAN ORBIT VELOCITY 66,622 mph 29,205 mph ORBIT ECCENTRICITY 0.01671123 0.04838624 EQUATORIAL INCLINATION 23.4393 degrees 3.1 degrees EQUATORIAL RADIUS [218][219] The amount of solar energy that reaches Earth's surface decreases with increasing latitude. [264] Of the 1214% of ice-free land that is used for croplands, 2 percentage points were irrigated in 2015. Due to gravitational separation, the core is primarily composed of the denser elements: iron (88.8%), with smaller amounts of nickel (5.8%), sulfur (4.5%), and less than 1% trace elements. Eratosthenes and the Circumference of the Earth | Nature [19] Yet another gives 13,440km (8,350mi), too large by 5%. Earth Videos International Space Station: This page was last edited on 13 July 2023, at 04:12. ", "We've crossed four of nine planetary boundaries. He was also a copy editor at several newspapers. [162], The axial tilt of Earth is approximately 23.439281[2] with the axis of its orbit plane, always pointing towards the Celestial Poles. [136] Because much of the heat is provided by radioactive decay, scientists postulate that early in Earth's history, before isotopes with short half-lives were depleted, Earth's heat production was much higher. [155][156], Earth's rotation period relative to the fixed stars, called its stellar day by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS), is 86,164.0989 seconds of mean solar time (UT1), or 23h 56m 4.0989s. The circumference of the Earth at the equator is approximately 24,901 miles (40,075 kilometers). Earth bulges out a bit more around the equator than around the poles because of its rotation (spin). [193] The remaining 30% is ground water, 1% surface water (covering only 2.8% of Earth's land)[194] and other small forms of fresh water deposits such as permafrost, water vapor in the atmosphere, biological binding, etc. The crust is separated from the mantle by the Mohorovii discontinuity. The development of agriculture, and then civilization, led to humans having an influence on Earth and the nature and quantity of other life forms that continues to this day. Ions and electrons of the solar wind are deflected by the magnetosphere; solar wind pressure compresses the dayside of the magnetosphere, to about 10 Earth radii, and extends the nightside magnetosphere into a long tail. Density increases with depth, as described in the table on the right. [202] Shifts in the oceanic temperature distribution can cause significant weather shifts, such as the El NioSouthern Oscillation. [231] Within the stratosphere is the ozone layer, a component that partially shields the surface from ultraviolet light and thus is important for life on Earth. [48] By 3.5Ga, Earth's magnetic field was established, which helped prevent the atmosphere from being stripped away by the solar wind. [248], Distribution and density of human population varies greatly around the world with the majority living in south to eastern Asia and 90% inhabiting only the Northern Hemisphere of Earth,[249] partly due to the hemispherical predominance of the world's land mass, with 68% of the world's land mass being in the Northern Hemisphere.