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The Earth's average surface absolute temperature for the 1961–1990 period has been derived by spatial interpolation of average observed near-surface air temperatures from over the land, oceans and sea ice regions, with a best estimate of 14 °C (57.2 °F). [44] The estimate is uncertain, but probably lies within 0.5 °C of the true value. [44]
The geologic temperature record are changes in Earth's environment as determined from geologic evidence on multi-million to billion (10 9) year time scales. The study of past temperatures provides an important paleoenvironmental insight because it is a component of the climate and oceanography of the time.
Deposition is the geological process in which sediments, soil and rocks are added to a landform or landmass. Wind, ice, water, and gravity transport previously weathered surface material, which, at the loss of enough kinetic energy in the fluid, is deposited, building up layers of sediment.
Sedimentary rocks cover up to 75% of the Earth's surface, record much of the Earth's history, and harbor the fossil record. Sedimentology is closely linked to stratigraphy , the study of the physical and temporal relationships between rock layers or strata .
In 1862, Lord Kelvin calculated the age of the Earth at between 20 million and 400 million years by assuming that Earth had formed as a completely molten object, and determined the amount of time it would take for the near-surface to cool to its present temperature.
(The same increment as the Celsius scale) Thomson's best estimates at the time were that the temperature of freezing water was 273.7 K and the temperature of boiling water was 373.7 K. [33] These two properties would be featured in all future versions of the Kelvin scale, although it was not yet known by that name.
Triple point of water 273.16 0.01 32.018 491.688 149.985 0.0033 0.008 7.50525 Average surface temperature on Earth 288 15 59 519 128 5 12 15 Average human body temperature* 310 37 98 558 95 12 29 27 Highest recorded surface temperature on Earth [2] 331 58 [2] 136.4 [2] 596 63 19 46 38 Water boils (at standard pressure) 373.1339 99.9839 211.97102
The surface temperature is in constant fluctuation, falling in glaciations and Snowball Earth events due to ice–albedo feedback, [39] rising and melting due to volcanic outgassing, and stabilizing due to silicate weathering feedback. [40] And the Earth is not the only one that changed - the luminosity of the sun has