The third planet from the Sun is Earth, the home of all known life. While it shares many characteristics with other planets, its physical properties and history allow it to support life in its near-surface environment. In fact, life itself has greatly altered the planet in ways that generally help maintain the conditions for life. Scientists have come to view Earth as a dynamic world with many interacting systems. Understanding these relationships will surely be important as human activities increasingly affect the planet’s surface, oceans, and atmosphere.
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"Earth." Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2015. Web. 2 Sep. 2015. <http://school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/274103>.
The Moon is a large natural object that orbits, or travels around, Earth. After the sun it is the brightest object in the sky. The average distance between the Moon and Earth is about 238,900 miles (384,400 kilometers). Compared to the distance between other planets and Earth, this distance is small. In fact, the Moon is close enough to affect the level of seas on Earth. Every day the seas seem to rise and fall. This is because of a force called gravity. The Moon’s gravity pulls on Earth. It is too weak to affect the whole planet, but it does make the water move. This creates tides.
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"Moon." Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2015. Web. 2 Sep. 2015. <http://school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/353489>.
Although the Sun is a rather ordinary star, it is very important to the inhabitants of Earth. The Sun is the source of virtually all Earth’s energy. It provides the heat and light that make life on Earth possible. Yet Earth receives only about half a billionth of the energy that leaves the Sun. The Sun is a huge ball of hot gases. Like other stars, it produces enormous amounts of energy by converting hydrogen to helium deep within its interior.
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"Sun." Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2015. Web. 2 Sep. 2015. <http://school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/276056>.