Earth and Mars, two neighboring planets in our solar system, have long been the focus of scientific exploration and curiosity. Both worlds possess unique characteristics and share some intriguing similarities. In this essay, I will examine the differences between Earth and Mars by exploring their geologies, atmospheres, and potential for supporting life.
What Does Earth and Mars Have in Common?
Mars’ diameter is far less than Earth’s. Mars and Earth have certain commonalities despite their huge differences. Earth and Mars share similarities:
- Earth and Mars both rotate around a central axis. Our planet’s inclination is 23.5 degrees, while Mars’ is 25 degrees. The average speed of Mars’ orbit is 24 km/s, compared to 30 km/s for Earth.
- On Earth, a day lasts for 24 hours, but on Mars, it lasts for 24 hours and 37 minutes. There are 365 days a year on Earth, but 687 “Earth Days” on Mars.
- Carbon dioxide makes up 95% of Mars’ atmosphere, with oxygen and other glasses making up 13%. The atmosphere of the Earth is more active than that of the moon, consisting of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gasses.
- Landforms such as oceans, mountains, valleys, craters, and volcanoes can be found on Earth’s surface. Mars shares Earth’s topographic features (valleys, craters, volcanoes) but lacks the water that makes up our planet.
Difference between Earth and mars
Both the Earth and Mars are close to each other. Both have a lot in common, but they are also very different. Let’s look at the difference between Earth and Mars in the following situation.
Earth
The Earth is the third planet from the Sun in the solar system. Water can be found on Earth in all three of its forms of matter: as a solid (ice), a liquid (sea, rain, etc.), and a gas on Earth alone among the planets in the Solar System (clouds). Earth has the shape of a sphere and spins around the Sun. The Earth is a living planet of many minerals and a compact mass of rocks. The Earth rotates counterclockwise around an imaginary axis connecting its two poles, the North and the South Pole. This axis runs from west to east across the planet. As a result of the fact that these poles are oriented in a direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the equator, this fictitious line is referred to as the axis of the Earth’s rotation.
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the solar system. It was named after Mars, who was the Roman god of war and is frequently referred to as the “Red planet.” Its rotational cycle equals 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22.6 seconds, while its orbital period equals 687 Earth days. Consequently, a ‘Martian Year’ consists of 668 Martian days. Mars has an extremely peculiar orbit ranging from 249 million kilometers to 207 million kilometers. Because of this, it also goes through many seasons. The equatorial diameter of Mars is 6792 kilometers, which is significantly smaller than the equatorial diameter of Earth, which is 12,756 kilometers. Mars has a mass of only 0.6424 x 1024 kg, significantly smaller than Earth’s 5.976 x 1024 kg.
There are significant differences between Earth and Mars, including atmosphere, gravity, and size. In conclusion, these unique traits make each planet distinct in our solar system.