Download 09 planet comparison handout

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Similarities and Differences between Earth and the other planets/dwarf planets:
Mercury and Earth
Similar:
- Both have cliffs, craters, and lava flows
- Mercury’s density is about the same as
Earth’s
- Both have oxygen, hydrogen, and sodium
- Both have water
- Both have gases in their atmosphere
- Both have magnetic fields
- Both are terrestrial planets
Venus and Earth
Similar:
- Both have plains, lava flows, volcanoes,
huge mountains, and craters
- Both have an atmosphere
- Both have carbon dioxide and nitrogen
- Both have clouds
- Both are terrestrial planets
- They are about the same size
- Both do not have rings
Unique:
- Mercury has a weaker magnetic field than Earth
- Mercury has a shorter revolution around the sun (88
Earth days)
- Mercury’s rotation is slower than Earth (59 days)
- Mercury’s temperature range is much bigger than
Earth’s
- Mercury has no true atmosphere, unlike Earth
- Earth is active while Mercury is not
- Earth has water on the surface while Mercury has it
in the craters
- Mercury is smaller than Earth
Unique:
- Venus has a shorter revolution around the Sun
- Venus rotates very slowly (243 Earth days)
- Venus’ year is shorter than its day
- Venus rotates in an opposite direction from Earth
- Venus’ surface pressure is 90 times Earth’s
- Earth has much more oxygen than Venus
- Venus has a weaker magnetic field
- Venus’ atmosphere is very dense and filled with
carbon dioxide, which causes a greenhouse effect.
This makes Venus’ temperatures much higher
than Earth
Mars and Earth
Similar:
Unique:
- Both have seasons
- Mars has a thinner atmosphere
- Both have mountains, valleys, and
- Mars has less gravity than Earth
canyons
- Mars revolves around the Sun in 2 Earth years
- Both have water, and ice caps at the poles
- Mars has more dust suspended in the atmosphere
- Both rotate in about 24 hours
than Earth
- Both have sandstorms
- Mars is about half the size of Earth
- Both have an atmosphere
- Volcanoes in Mars are higher than on Earth
- Both have carbon dioxide and nitrogen
- Both are terrestrial planets
Jupiter and Earth
Similar:
- Both have storms
- Both have clouds
- Both have an atmosphere
- Both are planets
- Both have at least 1 moon
- Both contain ammonia, water vapor,
methane, hydrogen, and helium
Unique:
- Jupiter is a Gas Giant but Earth is a terrestrial
planet
- Jupiter has more than 60 satellites, while Earth only
has one
- Jupiter has a ring but Earth has no rights
- Jupiter has much more volume than Earth (1000
Earths can fit inside Jupiter)
- Jupiter has a much thicker atmosphere than Earth
Week 2+3: The Inner and Outer Solar System
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Saturn and Earth
Similar:
Unique:
- Both have an atmosphere
- Saturn’s atmosphere is made of hydrogen and
- Both are planets
helium. Earth’s atmosphere is made mainly of
- Both have clouds and winds (but Saturn’s
nitrogen and oxygen
winds are faster)
- Saturn is less dense than water while Earth is
- Both have at least 1 moon
denser (which means Saturn can float on water!)
- Both are flattened at the poles due to
- Saturn is a Gas Giant but Earth is a terrestrial planet
rotation
- Saturn has 7 rings but Earth has none
- Saturn takes much longer to orbit the Sun (29.5
Earth years)
- Saturn has 31 satellites while Earth has one
- Saturn’s rotation is so fast that it is very flattened at
the poles. (1 day on Saturn is 10hrs 40mins)
Uranus and Earth
Similar:
Unique:
- Both have layers in their atmosphere
- Uranus is a Gas Giant but Earth is a terrestrial
- Both have wind
planet
- Both are tilted on their axis
- Uranus has rings but Earth does not
- Both have methane (but methane in upper
- Uranus’ axis is tilted at 98°, while Earth is only
atmosphere of Uranus makes it blue
23.5°
colored)
- Earth has a strong magnetic field but Uranus does
- Both have at least one satellite
not
- Uranus’ orbit around the sun takes 84 Earth years
Neptune and Earth
Similar:
- Both have at least 1 moon
- Both have an atmosphere
- Both have water
- Both have storms
Pluto and Earth
Similar:
- Both have nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and
nitrogen
- Both have one satellite and are solid
- Both have an atmosphere
- Both do not have rings
- From both Pluto and Earth, only one side
of their moon can be seen.
- Both are rocky
Eris and Earth
Similar:
- Both have one satellite
- Both have a tilted axis
- Both have methane
Week 2+3: The Inner and Outer Solar System
Unique:
- Neptune is a Gas Giant but Earth is a terrestrial
planet
- Neptune has rings and Earth does not
- Neptune has more storms than Earth
- Neptune’s orbit period is 165 Earth years
- Neptune has 13 moons while Earth has one
Unique:
- Pluto is a dwarf planet but Earth is a terrestrial
planet
- Earth’s surface temperatures are higher than Pluto’s
- Pluto’s orbit overlaps with another planet’s
(Neptune’s), while Earth doesn’t
- Earth’s atmosphere is thicker than Pluto’s
Unique:
- Eris is a dwarf planet but Earth is a terrestrial planet
- Eris’ orbit takes 557 Earth years
- Methane on Eris is frozen into methane ice, but
Earth’s methane is in gas form
- Eris’ orbit is highly inclined, unlike Earth
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