Solar System: What Makes Earth Different From Mars

What Makes Earth Different From Mars

Earth is the third planet from the sun in the solar system, and was formed over four and a half billion years ago. The planet earth revolves around the sun in three hundred and sixty five days, and has only one moon. Mars is the fourth planet from the sun in the solar system considered to be similar but very different from earth. Some of the differences between Earth and Mars are the size of the planets, the plate tectonics, and the ability to sustain life.

Earth and Mars are different when is come to sizes. Earth is almost twice the size of Mars at the size of 12,742 kilometers in diameter. Earth is one the largest planet in the Solar System, and the largest of the terrestrial planets. Earth is the largest of the terrestrial planets of the inner solar system. Earth is about

Mars is smaller than earth by 6,779 kilometers in diameter. Being a desert planet, Mars has the same amount of dry land as Earth. Mars has a diameter of 4,222 miles 6,794 kilometers, but from pole to pole, the diameter is 4,196 miles 6,752 kilometers.

Earth and Mars have different plate tectonics. Most of the deformation of the Earth's surface results from the movement of the large lithospheric plates with respect to one another. Linear mountain chains, transcurrent fault zones, rift systems, and oceanic trenches all result directly from plate tectonics. There are no plate tectonics on Mars, so most of the deformational features familiar to us here on the Earth are absent. The tectonics of Mars is instead dominated by the Tharsis bulge. Earth has a shifting crust which changes the surface continuously. The Earth is made up of large plates that are below its crust. At the boundaries of these plates movement can occur. When the plates move it causes changes on the surface of earth. Changes can come from below the surface and are caused by earthquakes