Earth, Our Home

            Earth is special because it is our home. Earth is the 3rs planet in the solar system. Like Mercury, Venus and Mars; Earth is also a terrestrial planet which has a compact rocky surface. Earth is about 150 million km away from the sun, but it still receives the light and heat of the sun.

            Earth is the only planet we know for sure that life exists. Manu kinds of life such as planets, animals, and humans live on Earth. When all these life kinds knit together it forms the biosphere which contains food chains and food webs.

            In early times people believed that the Earth was a flat disc. Pythagoras was the first person to say that the Earth is a globe. Later it was proved by Magallen’s voyage as well as the photographs taken satellites.

            Like the other planets in the solar system, Earth also has two types of movements which are called rotation and revolution. Earth takes 24 hours to make one rotation, by rotating on its own axis anti – clock wisely. Day and night occurs as a result of this. It takes 365 ¼ days to make on revolution by moving around the sun rotating on its own axis. High tides, law tides and eclipses occur due to revolution.

            The amassing and beautiful seasons; Spring, autumn, winter and summer are caused by the way that the earth is tilted on its own axis. It is Summer in the northern half and winter in the southern half when the north pole leans towards the sun and six months later it is winter in the northern half and summer in the south.

            Our planet has four layers. They are the inner core, outer core, metal & crust which live on in the cores the temperature is very high and has a high pressure. Mantel 2500km deep and its temperature is 1300-5000º C. Magma fold mountains and volcanoes appear in this area. Crust is thin and rocky. It has two layers called Siyal and Sigma. Crust is divided into eight main tectonic plates. They are the Pacific, Indo-Australian, American, Eurasian, Burma, Antarctica, Arabian and the African.

            The Earth has three spheres which are essential for the living beings to exist. They are the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere. Lithosphere is the surface of the Earth formed with various minerals and rocks. It consists of mountains, continents etc. Hydrosphere is the surface of the Earth covered with water. It consists of cautions, Seas, Lakes and other water bodies. Atmosphere is the gaseous cover around the earth. It consists of six layers called the Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere and Iron Sphere.

            Earth is protected by a layer called the Ozone Layer. It is found in the Stratosphere. It protects the Earth from the harmful ultra violet rays of the Sun.

            The amazing Earth is beautified by its rich lush forests, greasy planes, high mountains, hot desserts, freezing poles as by the seasonal changes and other features. Earth’s beautiful environment creates and sooths our minds and inspires us. But man the most developed and civilized creator on Earth pollutes and destroys the beauty of the Earth. We must not do so as Ozone layer protects the earth and earth protects us. It is our moral duty to protect the earth and its beauty to remain for future generation. Let us protect the Earth, our only home.

Lasini Chamika Liyanage