#earth | Noutez

What tectonic plates are actually made of

Tectonic plates are rigid pieces of Earth's lithosphere, which includes the crust and the uppermost mantle. They move over a deeper layer that can deform slowly over long timescales. Plates are not merely continents floating on a global ocean of liquid magma; much of the mantle is solid.

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earth

Earth's tilted axis produces the seasons

Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane. As Earth travels around the Sun, each hemisphere alternately receives more direct sunlight and longer days. These changes produce the seasons; Earth's changing distance from the Sun is not their main cause, which is why the hemispheres have opposite seasons.

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launches

Why many launches head east

Earth's rotation already gives a launch site eastward speed. A rocket heading into a suitable eastward orbit can use that initial motion, reducing the extra speed it must supply. The benefit is greatest near the equator, but the destination orbit and safe flight path can make another direction necessary.

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