What is the Difference Between Earth and Mars?

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Earth and Mars are both terrestrial planets in our solar system, but they have several key differences:

  • Size and Mass: Earth is much larger and more massive than Mars. Earth's diameter is approximately 12,750 km, while Mars' diameter is 6,790 km. Earth's mass is about 5.97 x 10²⁴ kg, whereas Mars' mass is about 6.42 x 10²³ kg.
  • Orbit and Temperature: Mars has a longer orbit around the Sun and a colder average temperature than Earth. Mars' average temperature is about -63°C, while Earth's average temperature is 15°C.
  • Atmosphere: Earth has a much thicker atmosphere, consisting primarily of nitrogen and oxygen. In contrast, Mars has a very thin atmosphere, which is primarily composed of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon.
  • Magnetic Field: Earth has a strong magnetic field, while Mars' magnetic field is much weaker and less uniform.
  • Water: Earth is primarily covered in water, with 71% of its surface being liquid water. Mars, on the other hand, has no liquid water on its surface and is covered with bare rock and dust. However, both planets do possess water in the form of ice and underground reservoirs.
  • Gravity: Earth's gravity is stronger than Mars' gravity due to its larger size, mass, and density. This means that a person weighing 100 kg on Earth would weigh only about 38 kg on Mars.
  • Surface Features: Both Earth and Mars have surface features such as mountains, canyons, and volcanoes. However, Mars has the largest known volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, and the largest known mountain, Valles Marineris.

In summary, while Earth and Mars share some similarities, such as being terrestrial planets with surface features like mountains and canyons, they have significant differences in size, mass, orbit, temperature, atmosphere, magnetic field, and water distribution.

Comparative Table: Earth vs Mars

Here is a table comparing the differences between Earth and Mars:

Feature Earth Mars
Size Mean radius: 6,371 km, 5th largest planet Mean radius: 3,390 km, half the size of Earth
Mass 5.97×10^24 kg, 5th most massive planet 6.41×10^23 kg, 10 times less massive than Earth
Atmosphere Dominated by nitrogen (78.1%) and oxygen (20.9%) 96% carbon dioxide, trace amounts of oxygen and nitrogen
Surface 29% continents and islands, 71% water Rocky surface with canyons, volcanoes, and dry lake beds
Temperature Average surface temperature: 15°C (59°F) Average surface temperature: -63°C (-81.4°F)
Axial Tilt 23.44°, resulting in seasonal temperature variations 25.19°, resulting in seasonal temperature variations
Composition Dense metallic core, silicate mantle, and rocky crust Dense metallic core, silicate mantle, and rocky crust

Please note that the table is not exhaustive of all the differences between Earth and Mars, but it highlights some of the key differences in size, mass, atmosphere, surface features, and temperature.