The Earth is the largest of the four terrestrial planets, orbiting the Sun and possessing the only satellite, the Moon. Unlike other worlds, liquid water may be found on Earth, giving life to everything on it. The Earth’s core has two layers, the inner core and the outer one. The inner core consists of heavy elements like nickel and iron, which sank to the planet’s center during its formation. The pressure is extremely high, allowing iron to say solid. The outer core consists of the same elements found in a liquid state, constantly flowing because the pressure is lower.
The mantle is located above the core. Its consistency changes from solid to liquid throughout geologic periods. Above the veil, there is a layer of rock called the crust. It is divided into two types: Oceanic and continental crusts. They are broken into massive moving plates. The movement happens because the core heats the mantle, causing convection and pressuring the rocks above. The flow pushes the plates, sliding them apart or together, changing the surface geography. Volcanoes are formed when magma makes its way through some weaker parts of the crust, erupting on the surface. They, in turn, may create new islands or materials. The produced gas during an eruption adds to the atmosphere.
The heat in the core is leftover from the formation, caused by the collision of rocks and space junk. After the growth, the Earth began to contract under its gravity, adding more heat. Another reason is the decay of radioactive elements like uranium. The outer core conducts electricity, generates a magnetic field with the help of the planet’s rotation, and creates north and south poles. The geomagnetic field surrounds the Earth, deflecting charged particles from the solar wind or channeling some of them down in the atmosphere, energizing air molecules and creating the aurora effect.
Most of the surface is covered with water which flows down the continental crust into large basins, left from the formation or asteroid impacts. The atmosphere above the surface is a gas layer consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and trace gases. The lowest part, which is the warmest one, holds off water vapor, creating convection. It also results in winds and air currents forming the weather. The carbon dioxide layer traps infrared light, creating a greenhouse effect and not letting the planet cool as efficiently.