100 Interesting Facts About Earth for Students

Our home Earth is truly a wonderful planet. It offers the right environment and resources to sustain life and house thousands of plants and animals. Moreover, Earth consists of deep oceans, high mountains, plains, and wide deserts. However, factors such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change are constantly depleting Earth’s natural resources. Therefore, World Earth Day is celebrated every year on 22 April to raise awareness about tackling such and more issues. Here are a few interesting facts about Earth for students to increase their knowledge about our planet Earth.

20 Cool Facts about Earth

1. Earth is not flat but not perfectly round either. 
2. 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water whereas only 29% is land. 
3. Only 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater while the remaining 97% is salt water. 
4. It is the third planet from the Sun.

5. Earth is the Fifth largest planet in our solar system.
6. Earth is also one of the four terrestrial planets. The other three are Mercury, Venus, and Mars.
7. It is the only planet in our solar system whose name is not taken from Greek or Roman mythology.
8. The term Earth comes from old English and Germanic languages and means “the ground”. 

9. Earth takes about 365.25 days to complete one rotation around the sun.
10. Earth completes one rotation in 23.9 hours.
11. Earth rotates on an imaginary axis point, which causes days and nights.  
12. It takes about eight minutes for light from the sun to reach our planet Earth.

13. A popular saying, the calm before the storm, is actually true. 
14. Earth is the only planet with a single moon, which acts like its satellite. 
15. Our planet Earth has no rings. 
16. Earth consists of four main layers including an inner core at the centre, followed by the outer core, mantle, and crust. 

17. The mantle is the thickest layer of the Earth with a caramel-like consistency.
18. Earth’s atmosphere consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases. 
19. Coral reefs are Earth’s largest living structures, made up of tiny animals known as coral polyps.
20. The moon’s gravitational pull creates high and low tides in the ocean.

15 Facts about Planet Earth Science

1. Earth’s rotation is gradually slowing down, and it is estimated that in about 140 million years, a day will be about 25 hours long.
2. The highest point on Earth is Mount Everest, which rises 29,032 feet (8,848 meters) above sea level.
3. The lowest point on Earth’s surface is the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, reaching about 36,070 feet (10,994 meters) below sea level.
4. Earth has a strong magnetic field that protects it from solar and cosmic radiation, created by the movement of molten iron in its outer core.

5. About 1.3 million Earths could fit inside the Sun, which is about 109 times wider than Earth.
6. The Amazon Rainforest is often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth” because it produces 20% of the world’s oxygen.
7. Earth experiences about 8.6 million lightning strikes per day, creating an average of 100 lightning strikes per second.
8. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world and can be seen from space.

9. Earth is the only planet known to have liquid water on its surface, essential for life as we know it.
10. The distance from Earth to the Sun is about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers), which is referred to as an astronomical unit (AU).
11. Earth has experienced five major mass extinctions, with the most famous being the extinction of the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago.
12. The largest desert on Earth is the Antarctic Desert, which is classified as a cold desert.

13. Earth is the only planet known to have plate tectonics, which play a crucial role in its geological activity.
14. More than 80% of the ocean is unexplored and unmapped, holding many mysteries and potential discoveries.
15. Earth has a natural greenhouse effect that helps maintain a habitable temperature, primarily due to gases like carbon dioxide and methane.

15 Interesting Facts about Earth

1. The Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old, formed around the same time as the solar system.
2. Scientists study seismic waves from earthquakes to understand the Earth’s internal structure, revealing that the Earth has a solid inner core and a liquid outer core
3. Scientists study seismic waves from earthquakes to understand the Earth’s internal structure, revealing that the Earth has a solid inner core and a liquid outer corEarth’s ozone layer, located in the stratosphere, absorbs about 98% of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation, protecting living organisms on the surface.
4. The atmosphere is about 300 miles (480 kilometers) thick, and its composition changes with altitude, leading to variations in temperature and pressure.

5. Earth has over 1,500 active volcanoes, with eruptions playing a crucial role in recycling nutrients and forming new land.
6. Earth’s crust is divided into about 15 major tectonic plates, which float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere below. The movement of these plates causes earthquakes, mountain building, and oceanic trench formation.
7. Earth’s water cycle is a continuous process involving evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff, playing a crucial role in climate regulation.
8. Earth hosts an estimated 8.7 million species, with the majority yet to be discovered, making it one of the most biodiverse planets in the solar system.

9. The majority of the Earth’s seismic activity occurs at plate boundaries, which can be classified into convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries.
10. Earth has a variety of natural resources, including minerals, fossil fuels, and freshwater, but their distribution is uneven across the globe.
11. Earth has several climate zones, including tropical, arid, temperate, cold, and polar, each characterized by distinct weather patterns and ecosystems.
12. The tilt of Earth’s axis (about 23.5 degrees) is responsible for the changing seasons as it orbits the Sun.

13. The gravitational pull of Earth varies slightly across its surface due to the distribution of mass, leading to variations in gravitational strength.
14. Earth is susceptible to various natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and tornadoes, which are all linked to its geological and climatic processes.
15. The ocean is home to large currents, like the Gulf Stream, which distribute heat across the planet and influence climate and weather patterns.

15 Geological Facts About Earth

1. The atmosphere protects life by absorbing harmful solar radiation and reducing temperature extremes between day and night.
2. At the equator, Earth spins at about 1,670 kilometres per hour (1,040 miles per hour), but this speed decreases as you move towards the poles.
3. Earth’s moon is the fifth largest moon in the solar system and is slowly moving away from Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches) per year.
4. The Northern and Southern Lights (Auroras) are caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field, creating stunning displays of light.

5. Due to its rotation, Earth is an oblate spheroid, meaning it is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator.
6. Scientists estimate that there is about 20 million tons of gold buried in the Earth’s core, making it incredibly rich in this precious metal.
7. Earth’s human population is currently over 7.9 billion and is projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, which raises questions about sustainability and resource management.
8. There are more than 390,000 plant species on Earth, and plants produce oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis, crucial for the survival of most life forms.

9. On average, around 20,000 earthquakes are recorded globally each year, although many are too small to be felt.
10. Approximately 1,500 volcanoes are considered active worldwide, with around 50 to 70 erupting in any given year.
11. The ocean is the largest habitat on Earth, covering more than 70% of its surface, yet over 95% of it remains unexplored.
12. Earth has identified 36 biodiversity hotspots that are critical for conservation, containing a high number of endemic species and experiencing significant habitat loss.

13. Earth’s soils are home to billions of microbes, contributing to nutrient cycling and soil health, essential for food production.
14. Earth has over 117 million lakes, which hold about 87% of the world’s freshwater supply.
15. Nearly 70% of Earth’s freshwater is stored in ice caps and glaciers, with the rest found in rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers.

20 Key Facts about Our Planet Earth

1. There are about 15 major tectonic plates that make up Earth’s crust.
2. The average depth of the ocean is about 12,080 feet (3,682 meters).
3. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth, visible from space.
4. Earth experiences thousands of earthquakes daily, but most are too small to be felt.

5. The ozone layer absorbs around 98% of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.
6. The Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point in the Earth’s oceans.
7. Only about 1% of Earth’s freshwater is easily accessible for human use
8. Earth is the only known planet that supports life, due to its unique atmosphere and water.

9. Earth is home to an estimated 8.7 million species of plants and animals.
10. Most seismic activity occurs along tectonic plate boundaries.
11. Earth’s magnetic field protects it from harmful solar and cosmic radiation.
12. The water cycle on Earth involves continuous evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

13. About 70% of Earth’s freshwater is stored in glaciers and ice caps.
14. Forests cover about 31% of Earth’s land area, providing habitats and oxygen.
15. The Arctic and Antarctic regions are critical for regulating Earth’s climate.
16. Earth’s atmosphere consists of five layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

17. Earth has over 117 million lakes, which hold a significant portion of the world’s freshwater.

18. Ocean currents, such as the Gulf Stream, help distribute heat across the planet.

19. One mature tree can absorb about 48 pounds (22 kg) of carbon dioxide per year, playing a crucial role in combating climate change.

20. Earth is home to the largest living structure on the planet, the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches over 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometers) along the coast of Queensland, Australia.

10 Facts about Earth’s Composition

1. The Earth’s crust is primarily composed of oxygen, silicon, aluminium, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These elements form various rocks and minerals that make up the land.
2. While the core is primarily composed of iron, it also contains a significant amount of nickel, with studies suggesting that it may make up about 10% of the core’s composition.
3. The mantle, which makes up about 84% of Earth’s volume, is primarily composed of silicate minerals, with olivine being the most abundant mineral. Olivine contains magnesium and iron, contributing to the mantle’s density.

4. Recent studies suggest that water is not only found on the surface of the Earth but also within the mantle in the form of hydroxide ions, affecting the melting point of rocks and the behavior of tectonic plates.
5. While the lower atmosphere is rich in nitrogen and oxygen, as altitude increases, the proportion of gases changes, with a significant decrease in oxygen, leading to thinner air and lower pressure.
6. Besides nitrogen and oxygen, Earth’s atmosphere contains trace amounts of noble gases such as argon, neon, helium, krypton, and xenon, which collectively make up about 1% of the atmosphere.

7. While sedimentary rocks cover only about 5% of the Earth’s surface, they contain about 75% of the Earth’s known fossil record.
8. The salinity of ocean water varies by location, with areas near river mouths being less salty due to freshwater input, while enclosed seas can have much higher salinity due to evaporation.
9. The temperature at the center of the Earth is estimated to be around 9,932°F (5,500°C), which is hotter than the surface temperature of the Sun, which is about 9,932°F (5,500°C).
10. The lithosphere, which includes the crust and the uppermost mantle, is divided into about 15 major tectonic plates.

Facts about Earth’s Importance

1. The Earth’s magnetic field acts as a protective shield against harmful solar winds and cosmic radiation.
2. The Earth’s atmosphere, particularly the presence of greenhouse gases, helps regulate the planet’s temperature, making it hospitable for life. 
3. Earth is the only known planet with liquid water in large quantities, supporting the hydrological cycle.

4. Earth’s soil is vital for plant growth, which in turn supports all land-based ecosystems. Healthy soil filters water, absorbs carbon, and is a home for a multitude of organisms.
5.  The Earth’s plate tectonics create diverse landscapes and are responsible for the formation of natural resources like fossil fuels, minerals, and fresh water reservoirs.

Hope you had fun reading these interesting facts about Earth. If you want to read more interesting facts, I would recommend reading this interesting blog 15 Mind-blowing Facts About India’s Gaganyaan Mission.