Download Inner Planets Power Point

Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Mercury
-has a surface much like
our moon: cratered, but
with HUGE volcanoes
-no atmosphere
-most extreme
temperatures in solar
system: 430°C during day,
-170°C at night
-1 day (rotation) =
59 Earth days
-1 year (revolution) =
88 days
-4,878 km. diameter
Interesting Fact: we have
only seen 40% of the surface, from
1 exploration: Mariner 10
It is too close to the sun to see with a
telescope!
Mercury
Venus
-THICK atmosphere
“Morning Star”
-mostly Carbon Dioxide
-sulfuric acid clouds
-GREENHOUSE EFFECT makes it
the hottest planet at 460ºC
Beneath the thick clouds is the surface:
-some craters, rolling hills,
and volcanoes
-1 day = 243 Earth days
-1 year = 225 Earth days
-12,104 km. diameter
-no moons
Venus
Interesting Fact: Venus rotates in reverse
(east to west). It is guessed is that something
large struck it and sent it spinning the other way.
Earth
-Atmosphere is
Nitrogen, Oxygen
-Surface is rock, metal,
water
-12,756 diameter
-1 year = 365 Earth days
-Temperature -50ºC to 60ºC
-1 Moon: Luna
Interesting Fact: Earth is thought to be the
only planet with water and life!
Mars
-Very thin atmosphere: CO2, trace oxygen
-Poles are frozen CO2
-Temperature: -80ºC to 3ºC
-1day= 1.03 days
(~ 24 ½ hours)
-1 year = 687 days
- surface is red, dusty;
made of iron oxide (rust)
-volcanoes, canyons,
canals carved by rivers
of liquid nitrogen
- some craters
-6,794 km diameter (half of Earth!)
Mars
-2 moons: Phobos (fear)
and Deimos (panic),
potato shaped, small
Interesting Fact: the 2 Mars
Rovers haven’t found any
traces of life even at the
microscopic bacterial level!
Mars