General Characteristics Of Earth

• Earth


  The third planet from the sun
• Earth


  • Diameter measures 12,756 km at the equator and 12,713 km
  • Has an atmosphere consisting mostly of nitrogen and oxygen
  • Surface has many elevations both on land and at the bottom of the ocean
  • Has a very large depressions filled with water
• Earth's day


  One complete rotation on its axis, 24 hours
• Earth's year


  One revolution, 365 1/4 days
• Plain


  broad flat area with relatively low elevation with respect to sea level
• Mountain 


  highland with relatively small summit area with an elevation more than 600 meters from base to summit
• Mountain Range 


  chain of mountains
• Hill


  highland less than a massive mountain with an elevation of more than 150 meters but less than 600 meters from base to summit
• Plateau 


  high land with a top that is broad and flat like a plain, more than 150 meters
• Cliff


  Steep high side of a plateau
• Volcano 


  hill or mountain formed around a weak area of the earth's crust through which molten rock from beneath reaches the surface
• Valley


  relatively long and flat area between two highlands
• Delta


  deposit of sand and soil at the mouth of some rivers
• Swamp


  wetland saturated with water partially or periodically
• Marsh


  usually characterized by grasses and other smaller plants
• Cay


  coral reef or sand bank which may become bigger and develop into an island
• Peninsula 


  piece of land nearly surrounded by water
• Globe


  Three dimensional model that can be subdivided with imaginary lines
• Map


  Two dimensional drawings of three dimensional representations of a particular area
• Parallels


  • Horizontal lines on the globe and map
• Meridians


  • Vertical lines on the globe and map
• Latitude


  The parallels in degrees north or south of the equator
• Longitude


  The meridians in degrees east or west of the prime meridian
• Equator


  Imaginary line running east-west designated as zero degrees latitude
• Hemispheres


  • Northern
  • Southern
• Prime Meridian


  Imaginary line running from pole to pole designated as zero degrees longitude
• Hemispheres


  • Eastern
  • Western