Lesson 1: Uniqueness of Earth

 Escape velocity - minimum speed an object needs to escape a planet's pull of gravity.
 Surface pressure - atmospheric pressure at a location on the surface of the planet. It is proportional to the mass of air above the location
 Temperature if no GHG - this would be the temperature of the planet without the warming effect of greenhouse gases. Note that the temperature of the Earth would be ~ 18
0
C lower without greenhouse warming.
 Greenhouse effect is not necessarily undesirable. It is run-away greenhouse effect which we would like to avoid (e.g. Venus).
 Length of day - a function of rotational speed. •
 The Earth's magnetic field is believed to be the consequence of the presence of a solid metallic inner core and a liquid metallic outer core.
 Earth's Interior the ability of a planet to retain its internal heat is proportional to its size. Mars may have lost much of its internal heat very early in its evolution.
 A planet's temperature is a function of distance from the Sun but is modified by the amount of greenhouse warming.
 Venus, Earth, and Mars are part of the inner terrestrial or "rocky" planets. Their composition and densities are not too different from each other.
 Venus is considered to be the Earth's twin planet. It has a very similar size and mass with the Earth. Mars is about half the Earth's size.
 Orbital period and velocity are related to the planet's distance from the sun. Among the three planet, Venus is the nearest and Mars is the farthest from the Sun.
 Rotational speed of Earth and Mars are very similar. Rotational speed of Venus is extremely slow.
 Abundance of liquid water on Earth, hence the blue color. The Earth is a habitable planet.