Facts For Kids

Tag: Earth

  • Layers of the Atmosphere for Kids

    Layers of the Atmosphere for Kids

    The atmosphere of the earth is made up of a mixture of gases. This pool of gases behaves like a ‘filter’ and saves us from harmful radiation of the sun. In a group, these atmospheric gases behave as one unit which we label it as air. Since gravitational force of the earth attracts everything downward, the atmosphere carries its own weight as a result of this pull of gravity. Molecules in the air move randomly in all directions and this motion exerts pressure on all objects that come into contact with it. This pressure is known as atmospheric pressure. Near the earth’s surface, molecules of air are packed together and so the spaces between them are reduced, becoming denser. At the same time, the density of air decreases with the increase in altitude which is why a person feels difficulty in respiration as soon as he goes up.

    Our atmosphere is divided into a number of layers based on chemical composition, temperature and function. Let’s discuss each of them.

    Almost 99 percent of the weight of atmosphere lies within an altitude of about 30 km (20 miles).

    Layers of the Atmosphere in relation to Chemical Composition

    The atmosphere is divided into two regions i.e.,

    1. Heterosphere
    2. Homosphere

    Heterosphere

    1. It is the outer region of the atmosphere.
    2. Starting from exosphere (also known as outer sphere), it comes down to about 80 km (50 miles) above the earth’s surface. An exosphere is almost a vacuum.
    3. This layer holds less than 0.001% of the entire mass of atmosphere.
    4. The upper part of this layer is within the orbit of International Space Station (ISS). Majority of the Space Shuttles also revolve inside heterosphere.
    5. The mixture of gases is unevenly distributed in the heterosphere.
    6. The upper heterosphere contains lightest elements like hydrogen and helium. Likewise, the lower part has heavier elements like nitrogen and oxygen.

    Homosphere

    1. It lies beneath the heterosphere.
    2. It extends from 80 km (50 miles) downwards up to the surface of the earth.
    3. The mixture of gases is almost uniformly distributed in the homosphere.
    4. The density of gases varies quickly inside this layer.

    Gases in the Homosphere (% age by volume)

    Nitrogen (N2) | 78 %

    Oxygen (O2) | 21 %

    Argon (Ar) | 1 %

    Carbon Dioxide (CO2) | 0.04%

    Layers of the Atmosphere in relation to Temperature

    The earth’s atmosphere is in the form of layers and each layer has distinctive temperature properties. Starting from lowest to highest altitude, these layers are:

    1. Troposphere
    2. Stratosphere
    3. Mesosphere
    4. Thermosphere

    Earth's temperature layers - Layers of the earth for kids

    Troposphere

    1. It is the lowermost layer of the earth.
    2. The boundary of troposphere varies. At the equator, this layer extends up to 18 km as a result of high temperature whereas at the poles, it ends at about 8 km (5 miles) above the surface of the earth.
    3. It is the principal layer where all life (layer of biosphere) exists.
    4. About 90 percent of the mass of atmosphere lie in this region.
    5. Almost all the water vapors and clouds exist here.
    6. It is this layer of the atmosphere where weather exists.
    7. The temperature of air and density of oxygen molecules decreases with the increase in altitude within troposphere.
    8. The uppermost limit of troposphere is called tropopause (the suffix ‘pause’ meaning ‘to change’). Here the temperature is about -57oC (-70oF)

    Troposphere - Layers of the earth for kids

    Stratosphere

    1. This layer starts from 18 km above the earth’s surface and goes up to 50 km (11 to 31 miles).
    2. The uppermost boundary of stratosphere is called stratopause. Here the temperature is about 0oC (32oF).

    Mesosphere

    1. This layer starts from 50 km and ends at 80 km (30 to 50 miles).
    2. It lies inside the homosphere.
    3. The outermost boundary of mesosphere is known as mesopause.
    4. Mesopause is the most freezing region of atmosphere. The temperature here is about -90oC (-130oF).

    Mesosphere - Layers of the earth for kids

    Thermosphere

    1. This layer is also known as heat sphere.
    2. The outermost boundary of thermosphere is called thermopause.
    3. The temperature of this layer is very high, extending up to about 1200oC (2200oF).
    4.  In reality, thermosphere is not that hot as it appears.

    Thermosphere - Layers of the earth for kids

    Layers of the Atmosphere in relation to Function

    1. Ionosphere
    2. Ozonosphere (ozone layer)

    Ionosphere

    1. It is the outer layer.
    2. It is present all over thermosphere layer and also goes toward the layer beneath it i.e. mesosphere.
    3. It receives and absorbs quite a number of rays from the sun. The names of these rays are:
    • Ultra violet radiation (shorter wavelengths)
    • Gamma rays
    • X-rays
    • Cosmic rays

    This layer absorbs these rays and then changes the atoms to the ions that are charged positively.

    Ozonosphere

    1. It is part of stratosphere layer.
    2. This layer has high level of ozone. Ozone consists of three atoms of oxygen (O3) and absorbs ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet radiation is very harmful for living organisms and ozone protects life on earth by absorbing these rays.
  • Desert Facts For Kids

    Desert Facts For Kids

    Desert Facts For Kids

    A desert is simply that part of the land which is dry and barren and that considerably lacks vegetation bearing low amount of vegetation. The water is lost in these regions through the process called evapotranspiration instead of falling as precipitation. The desert-dwelling plants are specifically adapted to such a little amount of water. According to an estimate, deserts receive no more than 250 mm of rain annually. Time to check out all these amazing desert facts for kids!

    • Deserts are rich habitats offering diverse number of plants and animals that have adapted to the harsh conditions there. Despite these unpleasant conditions, nearly one-billion people (one-sixth of the total population) are still living in deserts.
    • They make up one-fifth of the earth’s land and are therefore found around every corner of the continent.
    • The Northern Africa’s Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world with the temperature averaging 122o C Fahrenheit during the day.
    • There are deserts that are fairly cooler such as Gobi desert in Asia and other deserts in Antarctica. Deserts can be mountainous.
    • The hottest deserts receive no more than one centimeter of precipitation each year.
    • Many desert animals are adapted for a tough life including camels, snakes, tortoise, birds, and other land-dwelling creatures. Camel is a fast-runner on desert and can go by several days without food and water. Most animals in these regions are nocturnal, they come out in the later part or perhaps at the end of the day to make sure any extreme temperature. Desert tortoise of the southwestern United States prefers living underground for the major part of the day. Wandering birds are often sighted. Sadly speaking, global warming is becoming a major threat these days in that it changes the ecology of the desert forcing desert animals to move their habitats.
    • The major portion of the clean water is even present within the biggest desert of our planet.
    • If you analyze the magnitude of arid deserts in our planet, you’ll come to know that almost 1/8th of the surface of our planet is composed of such lands. What’s more, they receive just about ten inches of rainwater every year.
    • As compare to humid regions, the barren regions like deserts demand much more water to drink. Humans have to take almost nine liters of water in 24 hours or else they’ll soon expire within just about 48 hours.
    • The Sahara Desert is not staying at the same place rather it is going ahead with speed of almost 3.7 miles per year.
    • The place of Sahara Desert was once a South Pole probably four hundred and fifty million years back.
    • The deserts receive water from rainfall but they lose it quickly rapidly. Likewise, Sahara Desert is losing its water almost two hundred times faster.
    • There was absolutely zero rainfall in the Atacama Desert (Chile) for about four hundred years (1570 – 1971).
    • There are various deserts in which the sands produce some special sound as if they are singing. As the wind currents pass them, they begin to generate a ‘eerie’ kind of sound.
    • Do you know with a staggering size of almost 3.5 million square miles, the Sahara Desert is the biggest scorching desert of the world?
    • The magnitude of the Sahara Desert is equal to the size of America.
    • Sand and dust storms are not uncommon in deserts especially in those which are not covered with enough vegetation. Sandstorms however occur with much less frequency as compared to dust storms.
    • Deserts are not always, as they usually thought, consist of sands. As a matter of fact, not more than 20% of deserts are sandy.
    • The driest desert and may be the driest place on earth is Atacama desert where no life seems to exist. The precipitation is normally blocked by the greatest mountainous range, Andes Mountains.

    Classification of Deserts | Desert Facts For Kids

    Deserts are normally classified into these four categories:

    1. Hot deserts
    2. Cold deserts
    3. Semi-arid deserts, and
    4. Coastal deserts

    Cold deserts are typically shielded by ice or snow for a specific period of the year but desert plants cannot make use of the frozen water. You may find cold deserts in Greenland, Antarctica, and ecozone of North America. The average temperature in winter ranges from 4 degree to minus 2 degree centigrade. It has a fairly fine soil because of the annual precipitation of 6 to 10 inches. Plants in this part of the world grow spiny and are widely spaced.

    Semiarid deserts have long been known for their long summers and low rainfall especially in winter. The average temperature remains stable as compared to those of hot deserts, measuring 21 – 27o C. In semiarid deserts nights are cool as they receive mild dew. Plants grow in these deserts are usually silvery and have shiny leaves.

    Hot deserts are one of the most inhospitable regions where average temperature may exceed 40o C. They receive only a few drops of rainfall in water. The sand here is well drained and shallow and the plants exhibit deep taproots.

    Coastal deserts are located on the western borders of continental land in areas which are dominated by cold currents coming from the polar regions. The average temperature measures around 13o C and 24o C and the soil is well textured. These deserts can be found in southern California, Baja California, Chile, and south-west Africa.

    Top 10 Biggest Deserts in the World

    1. Antarctic Desert
    2. Sahara Desert
    3. Arctic Desert
    4. Gobi Desert
    5. Arabian Desert
    6. Kalahari Desert
    7. Great Basin Desert
    8. Thar Desert
    9. Great Victoria Desert
    10. Patagonian Desert

    Types of Plants Grow in Deserts

    • Flora
    • Cardon cacti
    • Saguaro cacti

     

     

     

  • Volcano Facts For Kids – Amazing Facts About Volcano

    Volcano Facts For Kids – Amazing Facts About Volcano

    Volcano Facts For Kids

    • Do you know the force at which a volcano goes off is like exploding 1,000,000 nuclear bombing?
    • The temperature of a volcanic emission (lava) is very hot and is about 2,200oF.
    • There is a coast in Hawaii that has green sand which was made as a result of collision with a volcanic rock (named as Olivine) with it.
    • In 1707, a volcano went off (named as Mount Fuji) in Tokyo and resulted in the loss of almost 30 thousand persons. Not only this, the rice grasslands were also destroyed and became sterile for a century afterwards.
    • As the molten rock cools rapidly, it forms a polished glass that has pointed edges and is called Obsidian.
    • The wind currents that follow from lava are so sizzling that they passes through with a speed of nearly 185 miles/hour and a temperature of 1,470oF.
    • At the bottom of the America’s Yellowstone Park lies a great volcano which was estimated to have exploded way back 640,000 years before. However the eruption of this lava if happens today, it will definitely alter the environment of our planet and the dust (ash) will cloud America as a whole. It is also possible that the whole mankind will fade away after this event.
    • The lava from Mount Fuji typically blows up one time in about 100 years. But this has not happened yet though it is behind schedule.
    • In 1883, there was among the biggest of volcanic emissions that occurred in the Krakatau islet, Indonesia. The magnitude of this eruption was enough to hide the entire islet under the sea waters.
    • The volcanic eruption in Indonesia of 1883 produced the biggest noise ever generated, even the sound went at almost 100 miles.
    • There is always a recycling process undergoing beneath the sea water in which the slow movement of rocks once recycled then hides within the Earth’s surface in order to thaw out. After this, these rocks in liquid form float up by means of a volcano.
    • The strength of the volcanic eruption is so huge that at times it annihilates the entire island, if it occurs there.
    • Within the Sumatra Island (Indonesia), there is another island named as Samosir. There was a volcanic eruption (Toba) that went off nearly 70,000 years back and as a result, this lake was constructed. Besides, there is another volcano mounting from the core of this lake.
    • According to some scientists, there was a super volcano named as Toba which occurred way back 75,000 years before and created so much destruction that only one thousand duos (couples) could survive to produce offspring.

    More Volcano Facts for Kids

    • There are three kinds of volcanoes: Shield volcanoes travel 40 to 50 kilometers and it flows with low viscosity; Stratovolcanoes are largely known for their gigantic eruptions of rock and ash and reaching enormous heights; and Cinder cone volcanoes are relatively smaller and are of short duration reaching heights of just 400 meters.
    • The tallest volcano in the solar system is on Mars and its name is Olympus Mons which rises to a height of 27 km, and measures 550 km across.
    • The tallest volcano on planet earth reaches a height of 4,207 meters and it is found in Mauna Loa.
    • The eruption of Novarupta volcano was the largest volcanic blast ever heard in the 20th century and it took place in Alaska Peninsula in 1912.
    • While some volcanoes are dormant, others are active and they continue to erupt for many years. Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is one of the most active volcanoes and as is continued to erupt for 29 years, the eruption began in 1983.
    • The deadliest eruption ever took place was of Kilauea which erupted 200 years ago leaving 400 people dead. It is in the United States.
    • Around 65 volcanoes in the U.S. are considered to be active.
    • The worst eruption ever took place in the US history was of Mount St. Helens which occurred in 1980.
    • Around 1,900 volcanoes are deemed to be active and are likely to explode sometime in future.
    • Japan claims 10% of the world’s most active volcanoes.
    • Hasan Dag volcano in Turkey is the earliest known as is almost 8,000-years-old.
    • Venus was believed to have most volcanoes than any other planet in our solar system but now they have gone extinct.
    • In Italy around 300 million people are living in the shade of active volcanoes.
    • While volcanic eruption is dangerous, it can be effective too in that in some countries such as in Iceland, the heat energy from magma is used for running power plants. This type of energy is known as geothermal energy.
    • Nearly 20% of the volcanoes of the earth are under water.
  • Earthquake Facts For Kids | Causes and Classification

    Earthquake Facts For Kids | Causes and Classification

    What is an Earthquake

    In general, earthquake refers to any volcanic activity which results in producing seismic waves. When rocks deep inside the earth are caused to experience a lot of stress due to tectonic forces acting on them. As a result of this severe stress, these rocks undergo a change in their shape and store energy within them. Now as these deformed rocks come back to their original shape, they release energy on their return. This energy is in the form of waves called seismic waves. Thus, these waves cause the earth to shake, leading to an earthquake.

    This theory that explains how energy is stored inside rocks when they deform as they are caused to undergo extreme force and then release energy upon coming back to their original position is known as elastic rebound theory.

    Illustration

    The cause of an earthquake is similar to the bending of a flexible stick. When you twist a stick at its maximum point so much so that it may snap off once you push it any further, it will store energy inside it. Now as soon as you let it free, it gets back to its original shape releasing the energy in the process.

    Terms and Definitions

    1. The bending of rocks into a new position is known as strain.
    2. The point (inside the earth’s crust) from where the energy of the rocks is released due to volcanic activity is called focus. It is also known as hypocenter and it refers to the precise location of an earthquake.
    3. The point that lies directly above the focus and on the surface of the earth is known as epicenter.
    4. The field of science that studies earthquake and seismic waves is called seismology. The scientist who examines earthquake and follows a line of inquiry into this discipline is known as seismologist.
    5. The scientific devices that record vibrations of the earth are called seismometers.
    6. The energy released by an earthquake (in the form of seismic waves) is usually assigned a specific magnitude number so that the precise amount of released energy can be calculated. The device that designates this number is known as Richter magnitude scale.
    7. The size of earthquake is measured by calculating the amount of energy released by it. The instrument that measures its size is called moment magnitude scale.
    8. When a volcanic activity or earthquake occurs beneath the body of water, a huge mass of water is displaced and in this way it gives rise to a series of waves known as Tsunami. It is also called Tidal Wave.
    9. The distance from the epicenter downward up to a point of focus is called focal depth.
    10. At times, an earthquake of relatively smaller magnitude occurs in the same location where main earthquake has just taken place. This smaller earthquake is referred to as aftershock.
    11. If one earthquake sparks off several other big earthquakes in the same location, this phenomenon is known as earthquake storm.
    12. The intensity of the earthquake varies according to the depth of the hypocenter. The deeper an earthquake is, the less likely it is to cause any damage and vice versa.

    Tectonic Plates

    1. When the crust is merged with the uppermost part of the mantle, it forms lithosphere. The lithosphere is divided into a number of pieces called tectonic plates. Majority of earthquakes take place along boundaries of tectonic plates.
    2. Tectonic plates are attached with one another like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. At times, one of the plates makes an effort to slip over the adjacent plate and like so the strain develops. This process in which one plate glides over another eventually results in producing seismic waves. This type of an earthquake is known as interplate earthquake.
    3. Almost 90 percent of the total seismic energy is released through interplate earthquakes.

    Seismic Waves

    1. When earthquake occurs within rocks of the Earth’s crust, it emits energy in the form of waves. The frequency of these waves is low as they pass through three layers of the earth (The Crust, The Mantle and The Core). These waves are called seismic waves. It is only because of these waves that we get to know that earth’s interior is composed of three layers.
    2. Scientists believe that less than ten percent of the energy given off by an earthquake is in the form of seismic waves. Much of the rest of the energy is transformed into heat energy.
    3. The very first wave a seismograph records is called P-wave. The letter ‘P’ denotes ‘pressure’ or ‘primary’. The speed of these waves within solid rocks inside the earth is 6 – 7 km/s.
    4. The second wave to be recorded on a seismograph is known as S-wave. The letter ‘S’ denotes ‘secondary’ or ‘shear’. These waves are unable to pass through outer core (which is in molten state) but they can cross inner core (which is in solid state). The velocity of S-waves in the interior of the earth is slower as compare to P-waves. These waves travel at a speed of 4 – 5 km/s.

    Earthquakes with a magnitude number of less than or equal to 3 are weak and cannot be noticed. The earthquakes having more than number 7 on magnitude scale are destructive and cause severe damage.

    Types of Earthquakes  

    Based on focal depth, earthquakes are classified into three kinds.

    1. Shallow-focus earthquakes are those quakes that occur less than 70 km deep inside the earth. Thus their focal depth is less than 70 kilometers.
    2. Intermediate-depth earthquakes are those that lie between 70 km and 300 km deep. They are also known as mid-focus earthquakes.
    3. Deep-focus earthquakes develop inside the mantle and vary from 300 km to 700 km.

    Location of Earthquakes

    1. The location with maximum number of earthquakes lies in the Pacific Ocean and is called Ring of Fire. It is 40,000 km long and consists of more than 75 percent of the volcanic eruptions of the world. Almost 90 percent of the underground eruption in the world takes place in this region. It is the world’s most active volcanic region.
    2. The second most active region of volcanic activity is called Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt. About 17 percent of the biggest earthquakes of the world lie in this area.
    3. The world’s third most active area for volcanic activity is Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

    Human Causes of Earthquakes

    There are four kinds of human actions that may also trigger earthquakes. These are:

    1. When huge amount of water is collected to the backside of dams;
    2. when making a hole deep inside the ground and inserting liquid into the wells;
    3. when digging ground for extracting coal from deep inside the earth;
    4. when digging out oil from the earth.

    More Earthquake Facts for Kids

    1. The energy released by a single earthquake is so great that it amounts to energy released by tens of thousands of nuclear bombs.
    2. Every year, our planet experiences more or less 500,000 earthquakes. However, 400,000 of these earthquakes are so small that we cannot feel them.
    3. In U.S.A., the two states that experience most minor earthquakes are Alaska and California.
    4. From the year 1900 and beyond, about 18 earthquakes occurred with a magnitude ranges from 7 to 7.9 and thus these were termed as ‘major’ earthquakes, as per United States Geological Survey.
    5. With a magnitude of 9.5, the strongest earthquake of the world was taken place in Chile in May 22, 1960. It is known as ‘Great Chilean earthquake’.
    6. The earthquake with the most number of casualties in the world was occurred on January 23, 1556 in China. It took lives of about 830,000 people and this incident is now known as Jiajing earthquake.

    Did you really find these earthquake facts for kids good enough? Is it what you’re looking for? Please comment and help us improving this article. Thanks for reading it.

    Learn some more: Facts About The Earth

  • Moon Facts For Kids | The Only Satellite Of The Earth

    Moon Facts For Kids | The Only Satellite Of The Earth

    Since Moon is the only planet in our solar system to which humans have reached so far, so there is a lot to know in Moon facts for kids. The size of the Moon is much smaller than the Sun but it’s quite big as compare to our planet. Unlike the Earth, the crust, mantle and core of Moon are different and unique. Having the radius of about 240 km, the inner core of Moon is compact. Above the core, there is a somewhat melted coating of almost 500 km in radius. The experts believe that the thickness of crust is about 50 km. Even though Moon is the second most condensed satellite, yet the size of the inner core is not big (just 350 km, which is about twenty percent of the Moon’s own size). Now enjoy reading some of the most appealing Moon facts for kids and see if it adds something new to your current understanding.

    Most Remarkable And Stimulating Moon Facts For Kids

    Moon is the 5th biggest satellite of our solar system.

    It is also the biggest as well as the single satellite of Earth.

    The satellite of Jupiter, lo, is the thickest satellite and Moon is the next heaviest of all satellites.

    Moon is the next most dazzling celestial body present in the sky after Sun.

    The distance between the Earth and Moon is getting bigger by 38 mm every year. Isn’t it one of the weird Moon facts for kids?

    It is believed that the Moon was created almost 4.5 billion years before.

    When the Earth collided with another celestial body (almost the size of Mars), the fragments that were developed as a result of this massive collision actually shaped the Moon.

    Apart from the Earth, the Moon is the only second planet in our solar system at which human beings have landed.

    The biggest crater on the Moon is called South Pole – Aitken basin. Not only this, it is also the biggest depression in the entire solar system as well.

    The bottom of this crater is the deepest ground on the Moon.

    ‘Maria’ is the poorly lit lunar plains while ‘highlands’ are relatively clearer and bright.

    At the near side of the Moon, there are almost 300,000 craters.

    The magnetic field of the Moon is lower by 1/100th than our planet.

    The mass of the Moon’s atmosphere (under ten metric tons) is so less that it is almost a vacuum.

    The axial tilt of the Moon (1.54°) is far below than that of the Earth’s (23.44°) due to which the North Pole regions are brightened in the whole lunar day while South Pole remains shadowy.

    The chilliest temperature in the entire solar system ever recorded by the space shuttle was 26K (-247.15°C) in the North Pole of the Moon. This temperature was taken from the Hermite Crater of the Moon and it is even cooler than the one on the Pluto’s surface.

    It takes 27.3 days for the Moon to finish its circle around our planet.

    With respect to the size of the planet, the Moon is the biggest moon in the entire solar system that is bigger than the size of its planet (the Earth).

    The speed of the Moon flying around the Earth is equal to the speed it needs to rotate its own axis. That’s why the surface of Moon facing the Earth is same at all times.

    The face of the Moon looking toward the Earth is known as ‘near side’ whereas the other side is called ‘far side’ (which is always dark).

    When the Moon comes near to the horizon it gives the idea as if it’s a very large object. This is not true because it’s just a mental impact and this phenomenon is known as ‘Moon illusion’.

    The gravitational pull of Moon on the ocean waters of the Earth is almost two times the attraction by the Sun.

    As you know that when the Moon comes in between the Earth and the Sun, Solar Eclipse occurs. But scientists say that after six hundred million years, Moon will not be able to hide the Sun from top to bottom and so Solar Eclipse will not happen then.

    In a Solar Eclipse as the Moon comes in between the Earth and Sun, it seems as if the size of Moon and Sun is alike. However it is not. Sun is very big as compare to the Moon but because there is a huge distance between Sun and Moon, so both seems to be identical. Did you know these Moon facts for kids before?

    Read more: Facts About the Earth

    A Quick Guide To Moon Facts For Kids

    Diameter of South Pole – Aitken basin: 2,240 kilometers

    Depth of South Pole – Aitken basin: 13 kilometers

    Average orbital speed: 1.022 km/s

    Satellite of Planet: Earth

    Escape velocity: 2.38 km/s

  • Earth Facts For Kids | The Blue Planet

    Earth Facts For Kids | The Blue Planet

    Earth is also known as ‘Blue Planet’ because it looks like a blue ball from outer space. This blue color is due to the waters of the oceans which cover more than 70 percent of the planet. Earth is the only planet in our solar system to support natural life and has water on it. Our planet also comes into contact with other celestial bodies of space particularly the Moon and the Sun. So let’s have a look at this wonderful planet in Earth facts for kids.

    Earth Facts For Kids

    Introduction

    Mass: 5.98 × 1024 kg

    Density: 5.5 g/cm3

    Shape: Oblate Spheroid

    Color: Blue

    Distance from the Sun: 150 million km (1 Astronomical Unit)

    Number of Moons:  One

    Basic Earth Facts For Kids

    Physical Structure

    1. According to physical properties, Earth is divided into three layers.
    2. The outermost layer is called the Crust.
    3. A gluey substance under the crust is called the Mantle.
    4. The innermost part of the Earth is solid and is known as the Core.
    5. The two most abundant elements present in the Earth are Iron and Oxygen.
    6. Earth consists of three types of rocks: Igneous rocks, Sedimentary rocks and Metamorphic rocks.
    7. The land area of the Earth is about 30 percent and it is divided into 7 continents. These are Asia, Africa, North America, Antarctica, Europe, South America and Australia.
    8. The line which divides the North Pole of the Earth from the South Pole is called Equator.
    9. Earth is divided into two hemispheres: the Northern hemisphere and the Southern hemisphere.
    10. Northern hemisphere extends from the equator to the North Pole and southern hemisphere extends from the equator to the South Pole.
    11. Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the Earth. It is located under the Pacific Ocean.
    12. 70 percent of the Earth is made up of water. Out of this, 97.5 percent water is salty water which means it is not fit for drinking and only 2.5 percent water is drinkable.

    Want to read more? Just have a look at:

    Layers of The Earth For Kids

    Atmosphere

    The atmosphere is an air that acts like a jacket over the surface of the Earth. It consists of a number of gases that allow us and other species to live on this planet.

    1. The total height of the Earth’s atmosphere is about 60,000 km.
    2. At the sea level, it becomes thicker and its thickness decreases with the increase in altitude.
    3. The two most abundant gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are Nitrogen and Oxygen.
    4. Atmosphere of the Earth consists of 78 percent Nitrogen and 21 percent Oxygen.
    5. Atmosphere consists of three gases that are vital for our survival. These are carbon dioxide, ozone and water vapor.
    6. The atmosphere of the Earth is made up of 4 layers. The names of these layers are the Troposphere, the Stratosphere, the Mesosphere and the Thermosphere.

    Unique Earth Facts For Kids

    1. Earth lies at the third position from the Sun after Mercury and Venus.
    2. It is the 5th biggest planet.
    3. Earth is one of the 4 terrestrial planets of our solar system. Terrestrial planets are made up of rocks.
    4. Earth is the biggest of all rocky planets (terrestrial planets).
    5. It has the maximum density than any other rocky planet.
    6. It has the maximum surface gravity than any other rocky planet.
    7. It has the strongest magnetic field than any other rocky planet.
    8. The speed of rotation of Earth is faster than any other rocky planet.

    Age and Natural Life

    1. The age of the Earth is about 4.54 billion years old.
    2. The natural life on our planet began 1 billion years before.
    3. It is believed that the Earth will hold up the natural life for about 2.3 billion years (byr).
    4. It is believed that after animal life will be destroyed from the Earth, the water from the surface will also evaporate after the next billion years.

    General Facts

    1. The Moon has been orbiting our planet from the last 4.53 billion years (byr).
    2. The contact between the Moon and the Earth is very important for reducing the speed at which our planet revolves around its own axis and also speeds up the ocean currents.
    3. The rotating speed of our planet is slowing up with the passage of time.
    4. The farthest place from the center of the Earth is in Ecuador known as Chimborazo.
    5. The entire solar system is located inside the giant Milky Way (galaxy) and the distance of our planet from the central point of the galaxy is almost 28,000 light years.
    6. At the height of about one hundred kilometers above the Earth’s surface, there is a line dividing our planet’s atmosphere from the outer space. This borderline is known as Kármán line.
    More Earth Facts For Kids
    1. The Latin word of the Earth is ‘Terra’.
    2. Yuri Gagarin was the first man to fly around the Earth on April 12, 1961. He was a Russian pilot.
    3. Earth spins around its own axis from east to west. That is the reason why Sun rises always in the east.
    4. It spins around its own axis within just about 24 hours. That is the reason why Earth’s one day has 24 hours.
    5. Earth revolves around the Sun in just over 365 days. That is the reason why our one year has 365 days.
    6. Earth revolves around the Sun in a circular path.
    7. Almost forty seven percent of the crust of our planet is made up of oxygen.
    8. The star which is nearest to the Earth is the Red Dwarf known as Proxima Centauri. It is just 4.2 light years from our planet. The other stellar systems are located at about 17 light years.
    9. The Earth rotates almost twenty seven times quicker with respect to the Moon.

    Did you really find these Earth facts for kids good enough? Is it what you’re looking for? Please comment and help us improve this article. Thanks for reading it.

  • Rainforest Facts For Kids | Top 27 Facts

    Rainforest Facts For Kids | Top 27 Facts

    Hi kids! Are you looking for some of the interesting rainforest facts for kids? Yes, then don’t worry because you don’t have to hang around anymore. We’ll discover some of the hidden truths pertaining to the rainforests. To start with, do you know why they are called rainforests? Well, simply because they have maximum quantity of rainfall as compare to the ordinary ones and the presence of huge thick trees make it unique. Every rainforest is filled with compact trees, flowers and plants that make it possible to change the climatic conditions. But the darkest side of rainforests is that they are fading away at a staggering rate. Out of the two kinds of rainforests, Tropical rainforests are close to the equator and are also known as ‘Jewels of the Earth’. There are four layers of tropical rainforest and the lowest layer takes in as less as 2% of the daylight. Besides, rainforest facts for kids are exciting to know also because they give off as well as take in a lot of carbon dioxide which is beneficial for the environment.

    Rainforest Facts For Kids

    As is obvious from its name, rainforest takes in a huge spell of rain in a year. That’s why it is different from usual forest.

    Rainforests are of two kinds; tropical rainforest and temperate rainforest.

    The biggest rainforest in the world is called Amazon Rainforest.

    Nearly forty to seventy five percent of all species are native to rainforests.

    There was a time when the land of earth used to have around 14% of rainforests but not anymore as it has reduced by 8% over the years. Besides, these lingering rainforests would not be able to survive for more than 40 years, according to some biologists. What one of the woeful rainforest facts for kids!

    Even now billions of species (animals and plants) are undiscovered in the rainforests.

    After each second, nearly 65,340 square feet (equal to the area of a football field) of rainforest is destroyed. That’s why you need to be familiar with some of the rainforest facts for kids so that you may spread awareness among other people about the significance of rainforests for the planet.

    All the species are dropping off at the rate of 50,000 species every year. If the rainforests continue fall off at this alarming rate, it may result in the extinction of almost 50% of all the species (animals, plants and other organisms) by the end of next 100 years. One of the pitiful rainforest facts for kids!

    Currently 200,000 Indians are living in the Amazon Rainforest while 500 years before there had been 10,000,000 isolated tribes.

    Amazon Rainforest is so huge in size that if it were a state, it would have been the 9th biggest country as a whole.

    The turnover of global oxygen is 28% from the rainforests.

    Since the Amazon Rainforest is incessantly reprocessing oxygen from carbon dioxide so it serves the purpose of ‘Lungs’ for the earth.

    A lion’s share (almost 80%) of the vegetables and fruits comes from rainforests.

    In previous times, rainforests used to have 3,000 species of fruits. But since Indians consumed most of these fruits, so today there are only 200 fruits available.

    Tropical rainforests are known as the largest drugstore in the world because almost quarter of the remedies was unearthed from this region. It’s definitely one of the rarely known rainforest facts for kids.

    The plant life in rainforest is full of alkaloids (metabolites) and these alkaloids are not only useful in safeguarding vegetation from bugs and diseases, but they are equally helpful for healing purposes.

    There are 3,000 species of plants in the world that are extremely effective for dealing with cancer cells and seventy percent of these are located in the rainforest.

    One of the medicines known as Vincristine was produced from the rainforest (plant name as periwinkle). It is the most effective and strong drug against cancer cells. So knowing about rainforest facts for kids is good from medical standpoint as well.

    According to some environmentalists, if we manage to keep the rainforests safe from extermination it will be economically more profitable than to destroy them.

    There are many rare species flowers in the rainforests of Australia so much so that you’ll not find 80% of these flowers in other parts of the world.

    In the South American rainforests, there are over 2,000 butterflies.

    Rainforests serve as the most important means of preparing drugs and so out of every four ingredients of medicine; one ingredient comes from the plants of rainforest.

    The Central African forests contain over 8,000 plant species.

    Every day the massive plants of bamboo in rainforests shoot up by nine inches.

    There are tens of thousands of trees scattered all over the rainforest and their topmost layer is so thick that in case of shower, the drop of water touches the ground after ten minutes.

    In the South American tropical rainforests, sloth creeps so lazily that algae begin to produce on its body.

    Madagascar has been deprived of about 2/3rd of its rainforests from the time when human beings started to settle on the earth.

    A Quick Guide To Rainforest Facts For Kids

    Rainfall per year: 68 to 78 inches

    Layers of Tropical Rainforest: Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor

    Size of Biggest Trees in the Canopy Layer: 30m to 45m

    Percentage of West African Rainforest Demolished: 90%

    Rainforest Facts Info-graphic

    rainforest facts

    Courtesy of Oak Furniture UK