|
Structure
Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 75 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
Special Topics
|
 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Earth Science
149, 600, 000. The actual answer is that on average the Earth is 149,597,870.691 km away from the Sun, or 1 astronomical unit (AU). To put this in perspective if a alien UFO travelled at the speed of 100 miles per hour (160 kph) it would take our little green friends over 100 years to go 1 AU.
Iron. Iron equates to to 34.6 percent of the the core, while Oxygen is 29.5 percent, Silicon is 15.2 percent, and Magnesium is 12.7 percent to round out the top four.
7500 K. To put this in perspective again the surface of the Sun only reaches temperatures of about 5800 K.
71. Be thankful you can have a glass of water since Earth is the only planet where water can exist in liquid form on the surface. Although there may be liquid ethane or methane on Titan's surface and liquid water beneath the surface of Europa, but then again don't get your hopes up.
Nitrogen. Nitrogen makes up approximately 77 percent of the atmosphere with Oxygen in second with 21 percent.
| Staying on the subject of the atmosphere, what gas is primarily responsible for an enhanced greenhouse effect thought to result in global warming? | Challenging Earth Trivia
|
Carbon Dioxide. The Greenhouse Effect is vital in raising the average surface temperature from a frigid -31 celsius to a comfortable +14 celsius. Without it we'd all be popsicles, and the oceans would turn into one large ice rink. However, due to the burning of fossil fuels more carbon dioxide is being emitted into the air, and thus this is contributing to Global Warming. If this increase continues expect Kevin Costner's 'Waterworld' to become a reality. Now that's a scary thought.
4.5 to 4.6 Billion Years. Even though the Earth is 4.5 to 4.6 billions years old the oldest known rocks are about 4 billion years old and rocks older than 3 billion years are rare. The oldest fossils of living organisms are less than 3.9 billion years old.
| Roughly how many years does it take for Earth's magnetic field to change direction, or reverse polarity? | Challenging Earth Trivia
|
500,000. The change is very gradual, and takes up to 5000 years to complete. In the past 75 million years 171 reversals have occured. However no compass manufacturing companies have yet benefited from this event.
| The interaction between the the Earth and the Moon slows the Earth's rotation by how many milliseconds per century? | Challenging Earth Trivia
|
2. Current research shows that about 900 million years ago there were 481 18-hour days in a year.
Hercules. While we're on a one way trip to Hercules with the rest of the solar system at rate of approximately 20.1 km per second or 72,360 km per hour (approximately 12.5 miles per second or 45,000 mph) the Milky Way Galaxy as a whole is headed toward constellation Leo at about 600 km per second (about 375 miles per second). Is it a coincidence that Earth is headed towards the same guy who tricked Atlas into carrying the Earth on his shoulders? I'll leave you to decide.
Vostok Station. And boy was it ever cold! At -89.6 degrees celsius (-128.6 degrees fahrenheit) it was definitely hot cocoa weather. In complete contrast the highest recorded temperature ever recorded was 58 degrees celsius (136 degrees farenheit) at Al Aziziyah, Libya.
40, 070 km (24, 903 m). And to prevent someone from lodging a correction the actual number is 40,065.5 km.
| What is the name of the phenomenon, which may be caused by earth tremors that are to weak to be felt, but sounds like a distant cannon especially on or near the water? | Challenging Earth Trivia
|
Barisal Guns. They are named Barisal Guns because they are often heard near the city of Barisal, in Bangladesh (there's a line over the a). If you've ever heard one be sure to send me a comment, I'm curious to hear your experience.
23 hours and 56 minutes. In comparison it takes Mercury 58 days, 15 hours, and 36 minutes to rotate on its axis while Saturn only takes 10 hours and 40 minutes.
to deceive. Phenakite is named from a Greek word for "to deceive" because it was long confused with quartz and other minerals that appear similar. A British specimen, pictured in an 1811 work, was described as white tourmaline for twenty years before it was recognized as a new mineral.
metal oxides. Pure corundum is clear in color. The gem colors of corundum are a result of minor metal oxide impurities; ruby is colored by chromium oxide.
imps or gremlins. Kobalt or kobold is named from a myth that imps or gremlins lived underground and teased the miners.
apatite. Bone and teeth have essentially an apatite structure and composition. Apatite has a hardness of 5, compared to a diamond which has a hardness of 10.
20%. Only about 20% of the mined world's diamonds are suitable for the gem trade. The remaining ones are used for industrial purposes such as saw blades or abrasives.
| What mineral has an index of refraction so close to water that when placed in water it becomes invisible? | Interesting Mineral Facts
|
cryolite. Cryolite has a low ability to bend light, being close to water in that aspect. When placed in water it appears invisible; however it will eventually dissolve since cryolite is soluble in water.
acanthite. Argentite has a cubic structure at temperatures above 180 degrees Celsius. It had to form at all temperatures higher than this, thus all argentite specimens are pseudomorphs after the original mineral argentite referred to as acanthite (orthorhombic).
|
Fun Trivia | 
Quizzes | 
Games
| 
People | 
Services | 
Help | 
Me
