Our Universe is filled with many stars, planets, galaxies, natural satellites, asteroids, meteorites, and other objects that have not yet been discovered. In Milky Way Galaxy, the Earth is the only planet that has a favourable living atmosphere for human beings.
The other planets that are present in the solar system have natural satellites that revolve around them. The days and nights are all different on other planets.
The weight, mass, and gravity all differ with respect to the Earth.
Key Takeaways
- Earth, the third planet from the Sun, has a diverse and life-supporting environment, while the Moon, Earth’s natural satellite, features an inhospitable and barren landscape.
- Earth possesses a substantial atmosphere and abundant water resources, both essential to life, whereas the Moon lacks a significant atmosphere and has limited water in ice deposits.
- The Earth’s gravitational pull is stronger than the Moon’s due to its larger size and mass, resulting in higher tides and a greater impact on the movement of celestial bodies.
Earth vs Moon
The Earth is the third planet from the Sun, is approximately 12,742 km in diameter, whose surface is covered mostly by water and land, and is the largest terrestrial planet in the solar system. The Moon is the fifth-largest natural satellite orbiting the Earth and has a diameter of only 3,474 km.
The Earth is the only planet in the solar system with favourable conditions for life. The earth is covered with 30% of the landmasses, and the rest 70% is covered with water, including the oceans, sea, rivers, lakes, etc.
The polar region of the earth is covered with glaciers and ice caps of freshwater.
Moon is the natural satellite of the Earth. Moon is the largest natural satellite in the solar system, with a size of approximately one-quarter of that of the Earth.
The gravity on the moon is one-sixth that of the Earth. Thus a person weighing the same on Earth will be one-sixth time lighter than on the Moon.
There is no magnetic field on the moon, and scientists are finding favourable atmospheric conditions for living on the moon.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Earth | Moon |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Planet | Natural Satellite |
| Size | Bigger | Small |
| Radius | 6370 Km | 1740 Km |
| Composition | More heavy elements | Less heavy elements |
| Gravitational Acceleration | 9.8 metre per second square | 1.6 metre per second square |
| Escape Velocity | 11.9 Km per second | 2.4 Km per second |
| Magnetic Field | Present | Absent |
| Atmosphere | Present | Absent |
| Surface | Fast erosion of the surface, made due to the tectonic activity. | The erosion on the surface is slow and is geologically dead. |
| Oxygen and Water | Present | Absent |
What is Earth?
Earth is the only planet with favourable conditions for the existence of life. The earth is covered with 30% of the landmasses, and 70% of the area is covered with water in the form of rivers, oceans, seas, lakes, etc.
These are all the water bodies comprising the hydrosphere. The polar region of the earth is covered with ice caps and glaciers filled with fresh water.
The earth is divided into three parts – core, mantle, and crust. The solid iron core and the liquid inner core together create the magnetic field on the earth’s surface.
The earth’s atmosphere is majorly formed by nitrogen and oxygen gas. There are also several other names used to personify Earth, and they are – Gaia, Terra, Tellus, Globe, and the World.
Earth rotates on its axis because of which the day and night are caused, which is also called rotation. When Earth completes its one complete revolution around the sun, it causes changes in the season.
On earth, one day is equal to the 12 hours of the day and 12 hours of the night.
What is Moon?
Moon is the only satellite of the earth and is naturally present, and among the solar system, it is the largest satellite known. The moon’s size is one-quarter greater than Earth’s, even though it is bigger than any dwarf planet known or discovered.
The gravitational pull of the moon is the major cause of the tides formed in the water bodies.
It is also known as lunar and is considered a planetary object and does not have any atmosphere or hydrosphere properties that support the existence of life on it but still, the discoveries are going on for the same. Also, on the moon’s surface, there is no magnetic field, and the moon’s radius is about 1740 Km.
The one lunar day on the moon is equal to 29 days, 12 hours, and 44 minutes. This is the same period taken by the moon to complete the one revolution of the earth, and this cause one full moon night and one new moon night.
Main Differences Between The Earth and Moon
- The earth is the planet that revolves around the sun, while on the other hand, the moon is the earth’s natural satellite and revolves around it.
- The size of the planet Earth is quite large compared to the size of the moon, which is one-quarter the diameter of the Earth.
- The radius of the earth is 6370 Km, while on the other hand, the radius of the moon is 1740 Km.
- The composition of the earth is made up of heavy elements, while comparatively, on the other hand, the composition of the moon is made up of lighter elements.
- The gravitational acceleration of the planet Earth is about 9.8 meters per second square, while comparatively, on the other hand, the gravitational acceleration of the moon is less than that of the Earth and is about 1.6 meters per second square.
- The velocity required to escape from the earth’s atmosphere is about 11.9 Km per second, while comparatively, on the other hand, the velocity required to escape the moon’s surface is 2.4 Km per second.
- The magnetic field is present on the Earth’s surface, while on the other hand, there is no presence of a magnetic field on the moon.
- The atmospheric condition is present on the earth, while on the moon, there is no presence of the atmosphere.
- The erosion of Earth’s surface erodes faster and is made by the various tectonic activity, while on the other hand, there is very slow erosion on the surface of the moon, and the surface is geologically dead.
- The presence of oxygen and water on the earth’s surface is identifiable, while comparatively, on the other hand, on the surface of the moon, there is no presence of oxygen and water.
References
- https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/JB085iB05p02531
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012821X17302145
- http://caeno.org/pdf/Newton_Ptolemy%20Babylonian%20eclipses.pdf
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09500690119306
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