Download The Planets - Cobb Learning

Terms: The Planets
• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars
»Pluto
(Dwarf
Planet
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune
How are the planets alike and/or
different?
• What factors exists on Earth
that make life possible here, but
unlikely on any other planet?
• Which planets in the solar
system are called the “gas
giants” and why?
• In general, what condition on
the planets is MOST affected by
its distance from
1. Earth has Liquid water, moderate
temperature, and an atmosphere rich
in oxygen, which is all needed for life.
2. They are giant planets,
much larger than Earth.
They are mainly composed
of gases and do not have
well-defined surfaces.
3. temperature. It will get
colder further from the sun
and hotter closer to it.
Write one of these analogies at the
bottom of your solar system sheet:
My very educated mother just said uhoh no pluto.
My Very Eager Mother just served us
nine pies.
The Inner Planets
Also known as the “Terrestrial Planets”
•Mercury
•Venus
•Earth
•Mars
• inner planets continued…
The planets that are much closer to the
sun.
–Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
–Inner planets have rocky, dense
surfaces….terrestrial planets
–Aka terrestrial planets
Mercury
•closest planet to the
sun
•only Pluto is smaller
•rocky surface with
many craters
•very thin atmosphere
•high temperature
•no life;
Distance from the sun
58,000,000 km
Diameter
4,880 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
88 days
Gravity (X Earth’s0
0.38
Moons
0
Venus
•2nd planet from sun
•same size as Earth
•rocky surface
•atmosphere is very
thick with carbon
dioxide
•gas traps heat under
it
•no life;
Distance from the Sun
108,000,000 km
Diameter
12,100 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
225 days
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.91
Moons
0
Earth
•3rd planet from sun
•surface is rocky
•covered with plains, valleys,
mountains, plateaus,
active volcanoes
• ¾ surface covered with water,
•atmosphere 78% nitrogen, 21%
oxygen
• water, moderate temperature,
and oxygen makes Earth
only planet supporting
life
Distance from the Sun 150,000,000 km
Diameter = 12,760 km
Length of Year = 365.25 days
Gravity = 1
Moons = 1
Mars
Distance from the Sun
228,000,000 km
•4th planet from the sun, called
“red planet”,
•half the size of Earth, rocky
and dusty surface,
hills, plains mountains,
extinct volcanoes,
craters,
•largest volcano in solar system,
•ice caps north and south poles,
•may have had water at one
time,
• thin atmosphere with carbon
dioxide,
•life may have existed at one
time;
Diameter
6,790 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
687 days
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.38
Moons
2
The Outer Planets
“Gas Giants”
•Jupiter
•Saturn
•Uranus
•Neptune
*No solid surfaces to walk upon*
• outer planets :The planets that are much
farther from the sun:
–Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
–Outer planets are larger and composed
of gas…. Gas giantd
• Pluto is a dwarf planet – it is not included
in the outer planets group because it has
different characteristics
Jupiter
•5th planet from sun,
•largest planet,
•“gas giants"
•no solid surface,
•slushy ball of liquid
hydrogen,
•atmosphere mostly helium
and hydrogen gases,
•large red spot ( gigantic
storm or hurricane),
•circled by very thin rings,
•no life;
Distance from the Sun
778,000,000 km
Diameter
143,000 km
Yea Length (Earth Years)
119 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
2.53
Moons
63
Saturn
•6th planet from sun,
•complex ring
system,
•second largest
planet,
•structure similar to
Jupiter,
• atmosphere is
hydrogen and
helium gases,
•no life;
Distance from the Sum
1,427,000,000 km
Diameter
120,500 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
29.4 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
1.14
Moons
47
Distance from the Sun
2,871,000,000 km
Diameter
51,100 km
•blue-green color from
poisonous methane
Year Length (Earth Years)
84 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.9
•7th planet from sun
Moons
27
Uranus
•third largest planet
•surface completely covered
with water, methane, and
ammonia
•11 rings circle planet
•rotates on its side
•poles point toward and
away from sun, extremely
cold temperature,
•no life;
Neptune
•8th planet from the sun,
•fourth largest planet,
•glows blue-green with
methane gas
clouds,
•icy ocean of water,
methane,
ammonia, and
hydrogen,
•six rings orbit planet,
•no life on planet;
Distance from the Sun
4,498,000,000 km
Diameter
49,500 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
165 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
1.14
Moons
13