Bellwork What is the organization created by the United States government to explore space?

Tuesday March 25, 2014 Objective: SW learn about the positions and characteristics of the inner planets.

Two Systems 1.Because of distance between them, the planets are divided in two main parts -Inner Planets and Outer Planets 2.Inner Planets -Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars -Terrestrial planets- surfaces are rocky and dense - All different from each other

The Inner Planets

Mercury is small and rocky. One day on Mercury is the same as Earth days. The temperature gets hotter than an oven during the daytime and colder than a freezer at night. Mercury is the first planet in our solar system. It has a thin atmosphere. It is the fastest moving planet in our solar system. It is 57.9 million km. from the sun. 0 moons.

-The next planet is Venus. -It is the second planet from the sun. -It is the hottest in our solar system. The temperature is 870 degrees Fahrenheit. -It is million km from the sun. -Venus rotates very slowly. It is known as the morning star or the evening star (very visible on Jan. 29) 0 moons.

Why is Venus Called Earth’s Twin? Same Density and About the Same DiameterSame Density and About the Same Diameter Different Rotation and TemperatureDifferent Rotation and Temperature

What are the different types of rotation? -Prograde Rotation: is counter-clockwise, so that the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. -Retrograde Rotation: a few planets rotate in the opposite direction, so that the Sun rises in the west. -The planets with retrograde rotations are Venus, Uranus, (the dwarf planet Pluto too.)Venus Uranus Pluto

-Earth is the third planet from the sun. -Earth is the fifth largest planet in our solar system. -Earth’s rotation is slowing down slightly about one second every 10 years. -The Earth is million km from the sun. -We think Earth is the only planet with life.

-Mars is the fourth planet from the sun. -Mars’s nickname is the red planet because it has red soil. -Mars’s soil is dry, rocky, and covered with iron-rich dust. Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our solar system, is on Mars. -Some people say there was a dried up river on Mars million km from the sun. It has two moons.

Exit Slip Why are the inner planets called terrestrial planets?

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Bellwork Name the inner planets in order.

Thursday March 27, 2014 Objective: SW learn about the positions and characteristics of the outer planets.

The Outer Planets

General Most of these Planets areMost of these Planets are –Mostly Gas –Massive Atmospheres –Solid Cores due to pressure –All have rings Are called the Gas Giants (but Pluto)Are called the Gas Giants (but Pluto) –Mostly made up of Hydrogen and Helium Pluto is more like inner planets then outer planetsPluto is more like inner planets then outer planets

-Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun. -Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Jupiter has 63 known moons. -It has a giant red spot which is a storm. -Jupiter is so big that you could put every planet from our solar system in it if it were hollow. -If you weighed 100 pounds on Earth you would weigh 254 pounds on Jupiter. Jupiter is 480,000,000 miles away from the sun.

-Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun. -It is the second largest planet. -It has dozens of rings that are made of ice and rock and they can be as small as a fingernail and as big as the size of a car. -Saturn is made out of hydrogen and helium. If there was an ocean big enough to hold Saturn it would float. -Saturn has 60 moons.

-Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun. -It is the third largest planet in our solar system. It has 11 rings and 27 known moons. -Uranus is the only planet in our solar system that spins on it’s side. -It is the size of 14 Earths. It is 1,850,000,000 miles from the sun. -It is a frozen planet with a molten core.

-Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun. -Neptune has eight narrow, faint rings in clumps. -Neptune was the first planet whose existence was predicted mathematically. -Neptune is over 16 times the size of Earth. A day on Neptune is 19.1 Earth hours. One year on Neptune is Earth years. Neptune is 4,546,000,000 miles from the sun. 13 moons.

-Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet and is no longer counted as a true planet. -Each day on Pluto is 6.39 Earth days. A year on Pluto is Earth years. Pluto is very cold. It can be between -396° to - 378°F. -Pluto has 3 moons, and the largest, Charon, is almost the size of Pluto.

Exit Slip Why are the outer planets called Gas Giants?

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