Earth facts
Some earth facts from Robert Roy Britt, of Spacedotcom:
1. What makes thunder?
The air around a lightning bolt is superheated to about five times the temperature of the sun. This sudden heating causes the air to expand faster than the speed of sound, which compresses the air and forms a shock wave; we hear it as thunder.
2. Can rocks grow?
Rocks called iron-manganese crusts grow on mountains under the sea. The crusts precipitate material slowly from seawater, growing about 1 millimeter every million years.
3. How far is it to the center of the earth?
The distance from the surface of Earth to the center is about 3,963 miles (6,378 kilometers). Much of Earth is fluid. The mostly solid skin of the planet is only 41 miles (66 kilometers) thick — thinner than the skin of an apple, relatively speaking.
4. What is the softest of all minerals?
Talc is the softest of minerals. It is commonly used to make talcum powder.
5. Are all tsunamis high waves when they strike a coastline?
No, contrary to many artistic images of tsunamis, most do not result in giant breaking waves. Rather, most tsunamis come onshore more like very strong and fast tides. The water can rise higher than anyone along a given shore area has ever seen, however.
Filed under: Technology & ideas
As answered by Mr Al Globe, former Vice President of those United States.
1. What makes thunder?
Me, me, me.
2. Can rocks grow?
Is that an allusion to my weight?
3. How far is it to the center of the earth?
Millions of degrees.
4. What is the softest of all minerals?
Lewinskyite.
5. Are all tsunamis high waves when they strike a coastline?
No, more often they are like tides; that’s why they are called “tidal waves”, you shmuck.