The Planets (Page 47) Bell Ringer If you could travel to any other planet in the solar system, which would it be and why? Do this in your N.B. (page 49)

Essential Question: What are the unique features that distinguish the inner planets from the outer planets?

The Planets Planet – A large round object that orbits a star (and with a clear orbit)

Orbit – an elliptical path around the Sun

1 - Inner Planets (Terrestrial) Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

1 - Inner Planets Characteristics: *Small *Rocky *Thin atmosphere *No or few moons

Mercury *Flat with craters *No Atmosphere *Hot days (800⁰ F) and cold nights (-180⁰ F)

*Flat with more than 10,000 volcanoes Venus *”Earth’s twin” *Dense, poisonous atmosphere *Hottest planet *Flat with more than 10,000 volcanoes *Very slow rotation (8 months)

Earth *Life *Water *Temperate *Tectonic forces

*Polar ice caps (frozen CO2) Mars *Red planet *Poisonous atmosphere (CO2) *Polar ice caps (frozen CO2) *Largest volcano in S/S – Olympus Mons

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune 2 - Outer Planets (Gas Giants) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

*Farther away from the Sun (cold) 2 - Outer Planets Characteristics: *Large *Thick, gaseous atmospheres with a small solid core *Faster rotation *Many moons and rings *Farther away from the Sun (cold)

*The Great Red Spot (larger than Earth) Jupiter *Largest *Rock and metal core, thick atmosphere *The Great Red Spot (larger than Earth) *At least 63 moons

*Rings – composed of chunks of ice and rocks orbiting the planet Saturn *Ice and rocky core, thick atmosphere *Rings – composed of chunks of ice and rocks orbiting the planet *At least 61 moons

*Blueish color due to methane gas in its atmosphere Uranus *Rocky core, thick atmosphere *Blueish color due to methane gas in its atmosphere *Tilted axis (rotates from top to bottom) *At least 27 moons and a few thin rings

*At least 13 moons and a few thin rings Neptune *Rocky and ice core, thick atmosphere *Dark blue spot *At least 13 moons and a few thin rings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usYC_Z36rHw

Conclusion (Below your Notes) Using a Venn Diagram, compare and contrast the characteristics of the terrestrial planets with the gas giant planets. Terrestrial Gas Giant (Inner) (Outer) Different Same Different