Download The Solar System Characteristics.notebook

The Solar System Characteristics.notebook
November 06, 2014
•
Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the solar system. • It is a dark grey rocky planet covered in dust and meteor craters
• Slightly larger than our moon and about one third the size of Earth
• It does not have any significant atmosphere
• Mercury experiences significant differences between night and day temperatures (ranging from 400oC to ‐1830C) o The drasc temperature change cause Mercury to expand and contract, forming immense cracks in the surface
1
The Solar System Characteristics.notebook
November 06, 2014
•
Venus is somemes called Earth's " sister planet" due to its similar size and gravitaonal pull. • This yellowish white planet is the 2nd closest planet to the sun. • Venus has the densest atmosphere of all the terrestrial planets in the solar system. o Because of this dense atmosphere, Venus cannot be seen through opcal telescopes because the planet is shrouded in thick clouds
• This planet consists mostly of carbon dioxide
• Large porons of the planet are very flat, while other areas have volcanoes, lava flows, and cracks called ris
2
The Solar System Characteristics.notebook
•
•
•
•
•
•
November 06, 2014
Earth is the only known planet that can maintain life It is the densest planet and the largest terrestrial planet
Earth is mostly made of iron and oxygen
70% of Earth is covered in water and the other 30% is dry hard land
Earth is the only planet known to have water in three phases
Earth's atmosphere is composed mostly of nitrogen and oxygen
3
The Solar System Characteristics.notebook
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
November 06, 2014
Mars is oen called the red planet because the iron in its surface rocks gives it that colour
It is half the size of Earth
Mars has a volcano that is three mes higher than Mount Everest and an 8 km deep canyon that would stretch from Vancouver to Toronto
Has a very thin atmosphere of CO2
Can experience winds of more than 900 km/h
Dust storms can cover the whole planet and last for weeks Mars has two polar ice caps made of frozen CO2 and water
4
The Solar System Characteristics.notebook
November 06, 2014
• Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system
o 1,000 Earths could fit inside of Jupiter. • It is the closest outer planet to the Sun and is made mostly of hydrogen and helium gases and dust that give it a variety of orange, brown, and white colors. • Jupiter has a giant hole, known as the Black Hole that has a gravitaonal pull greater than anything else in the universe.
• It's "great red spot" is three mes the size of Earth
o This spot is a huge storm
• Jupiter has the shortest day of any of the planets, turning once on its axis every 10 hours 5
The Solar System Characteristics.notebook
•
•
•
•
•
November 06, 2014
Saturn is a gas giant and the sixth planet from the Sun
Saturn is well known for its giant rings made up of parcles of ice, dust, and rocks
These parcles can range in size from specks of dust to the size of houses
The rings are 250 000 km wide but can be as thin as 10 m
Saturn is made mostly of hydrogen and helium and is a tan color with hints of orange and yellowish brown.
6
The Solar System Characteristics.notebook
•
•
•
November 06, 2014
The fourth most massive planet in the solar system
A gas giant, it has a similar composion as Jupiter and Saturn, including a ring system composed of ice and dust
Uranus, unlike other planets in the solar system, spins on its side. It is mostly made up of methane, hydrogen, and helium and is a dark blue color.
7
The Solar System Characteristics.notebook
•
•
•
•
November 06, 2014
Third most massive planet in the solar system
Neptune is the furthest planet from the Sun
It is the smallest gas giant and is a dark blue color like that of Uranus
Neptune is mostly made up of hydrogen and helium
8