December 16th Fact of the Day!!

Earth, of the 8 planets in the Solar System, is the densest planet! Density is the amount of “stuff” (molecules and atoms) that are packed into one space. Objects’ density can be found by dividing the mass (weight) of an object by the volume (space it takes up) of an object. Density is measured in grams per milliliter (g/mL). If something has a high density, the atoms and molecules are packed tightly together. If something has a low density, it has less molecules and atoms together.

Earth is so dense because it is made up of solid rock and has a geologically active surface. This means that the layers of the Earth and the surface are constantly moving due to changes in density and temperature inside of the Earth. The many layers and the solid rock and metal make the atoms and molecules get closer to each other, making it very dense!! This is why Earth is the densest planet in the Solar System.