Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Similarities and Differences between Earth and Other Planets

This post will deal about different planets similarities and differences with Earth:

In order from their distance from the Sun:
Credit to NASA

Size: Is significantly smaller than Earth, Mercury's diameter is around 4,879 , while Earth's diameter is 12,756, so around 3 times smaller than Earth. Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system. It's barely larger than our moon.

Distance to the Sun: Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and is significantly closer compared to Earth.The average distance from the sun for Mercury is 58,000,000 while for earth it's 150,000,000 .

Atmosphere Characteristic: Mercury practically lacks an atmosphere. Due to its size, its gravity is significantly weak, and due to its closeness to the sun, its particles are rapidly moving. Yet its still contains small amount of particles like sodium, hydrogen, and helium.

Surface Characteristic: Mercury contains many flat plains and crater, that hasn't changed throughout billions of years.

Temperature: There's a significant change in temperature from day to night due to its lack of atmosphere. Mercury can reach temperature of 430 degrees Celsius in the day, and at night its temperature drops below -170 degree Celsius.  Its heat escapes at night due to the lack of atmosphere.

Type of planet: Is a terrestrial planet, just like Earth, which consist of a solid surface.


Credit to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Solar System
Size: The size, mass, and density is similar to Earth. Its diameter is 12,104 kilometers, while Earth's is 12,756

Distance to the Sun: It's the second closest planet to the sun, and the closest planet to the Earth.

Atmosphere Characteristic: It contains a thick atmosphere, with constant clouds. The clouds mainly consist of sulfuric acid. Due to its thickness the pressure is immense at 90 times greater than Earth's pressure. The thick atmosphere help reflect most of the sun radiation, but the ones that reach the surface is trapped quite effectively by the carbon dioxide. Although, both planets are affected by the greenhouse effect, Venus faces a significantly stronger effect, as it has the hottest surface at an average of 460 degrees.

Surface Characteristic:Its heat and pressure has made landing probes a problem. Yet we know that Venus is covered by rocks and that there are many volcanoes and plains formed by lava.

Temperature: Hottest surface compared to other solar systems.
Type of planet: Terrestrial Planet, just like Earth with a solid surface.

Earth- can't be compared with itself

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