Earth. Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
It is the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets. It is sometimes referred to as the world or the Blue Planet.[23] Earth formed approximately 4.54 billion years ago, and life appeared on its surface within its first billion years.[24] Earth's biosphere then significantly altered the atmospheric and other basic physical conditions, which enabled the proliferation of organisms as well as the formation of the ozone layer, which together with Earth's magnetic field blocked harmful solar radiation, and permitted formerly ocean-confined life to move safely to land.[25] The physical properties of the Earth, as well as its geological history and orbit, have allowed life to persist.
Name and etymology In general English usage, the name earth can be capitalized or spelled in lowercase interchangeably, either when used absolutely or prefixed with "the" (i.e. Heat.
Weather. Weather is driven by air pressure (temperature and moisture) differences between one place and another.
These pressure and temperature differences can occur due to the sun angle at any particular spot, which varies by latitude from the tropics. The strong temperature contrast between polar and tropical air gives rise to the jet stream. Weather systems in the mid-latitudes, such as extratropical cyclones, are caused by instabilities of the jet stream flow. Because the Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane, sunlight is incident at different angles at different times of the year. On Earth's surface, temperatures usually range ±40 °C (−40 °F to 100 °F) annually. Surface temperature differences in turn cause pressure differences. Studying how the weather works on other planets has been helpful in understanding how weather works on Earth.
Cause[edit] On Earth, common weather phenomena include wind, cloud, rain, snow, fog and dust storms. Weather Europe, Satellite Weather Europe, Weather Forecast, Rainfall, Clouds, Sun in Europe - Source: SAT24.com. Weather in Killarney - AccuWeather Forecast for Kerry Ireland. Big G's Surf Forecasts: Water temperature. These charts display the temperature of the water at the sea surface.
Direct observation was how this data was traditionally gathered (ie. using a thermometer!) With buoys and weather ships. Remote sensing with satellites is how most temperature data is measured these days. The area a satellite scans in two minutes would take a ship travelling at 10 knots 10 years to cover. “Sea surface temperature” is simply the water temperature close to the surface. Sea Surface Temperature (°C), from JOMOC Northwood Date of chart: 20 April 2014 Europe Sea Surface Temperature (°C), The Weather Channel Date of chart: 20 April 2014 Sea surface temperature (°C), from UK Met Office Date of chart: 20 April 2014 North Atlantic sea surface temperature, from Oceanweather Mid Atlantic sea surface temperature, from Oceanweather Worldwide sea surface temperatures, from Unisys Weather This clearly shows global phenomena such as El Nino, and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream flowing from the US towards Europe.
Geology. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth by providing the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates.
In modern times, geology is commercially important for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration / exploitation as well as for evaluating water resources. It is publicly important for the prediction and understanding of natural hazards, the remediation of environmental problems, and for providing insights into past climate change. Geology also plays a role in geotechnical engineering and is a major academic discipline. Geologic time[edit] Geological time put in a diagram called a geological clock, showing the relative lengths of the eons of the Earth's history. Important milestones[edit] Brief time scale[edit] Millions of Years Relative and absolute dating[edit] Geological events can be given a precise date at a point in time, or they can be related to other events that came before and after them. Relative dating[edit] Absolute dating[edit]