Our Solar System Solar System Day 2

Objectives TODAY I WILL BE ABLE TO: – Compare and contrast _____________ planets to __________________ planets.

Key Points The ____________ planets are planets that are ___________ and rocky. The _______________ planets are the ________ gas giants.

The Solar System  The ________________ planets are planets that are small and ___________—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.  The ____________ planets are the huge _________ giants—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Orbits of the Planets

The Planets: An Overview 23.1 The Solar System  ____________ is the most obvious difference between the terrestrial and Jovian planets.  ______________, chemical makeup, and rate of rotation are other ways in which the two groups of planets ___________.

Scale of the Planets

Mercury: The Innermost Planet 23.2 The Terrestrial Planets  _______________ is the innermost and ___________ planet; it is hardly larger than Earth’s moon. Mercury has cratered highlands, much like the moon, and vast smooth terrains that resemble maria. Mercury has the greatest temperature extremes of any planet.  Surface Features  Surface Temperatures

Mercury’s Surface

Venus: The Veiled Planet 23.2 The Terrestrial Planets  ____________ is similar to Earth in size, density, mass, and location in the solar system. It has been referred to as “_________________________________.” Venus is covered in thick clouds that visible light cannot penetrate.  Surface Features About 80 percent of Venus’s surface consists of plains covered by volcanic flow.

Venus

__________: The Red Planet 23.2 The Terrestrial Planets  The Martian Atmosphere The Martian atmosphere has only 1 percent of the density of Earth’s.  Surface Features Most Martian surface features are old by Earth standards. The highly cratered southern hemisphere is probably 3.5 billion to 4.5 billion years old. Although the atmosphere of Mars is very thin, extensive ___________________ storms occur and may cause the color changes observed from Earth.

Mars

Mars: The Red Planet 23.2 The Terrestrial Planets  Water on Mars Some areas of Mars exhibit drainage patterns similar to those created by streams on Earth. Images from the Mars Global Surveyor indicate that groundwater has recently migrated to the surface.

Water on Mars

Jupiter: Giant Among Planets 23.3 The Outer Planets  ______________ has a _________that is 2 1/2 times greater than the mass of all the other planets and moons ______________. Jupiter’s hydrogen-helium atmosphere also contains small amounts of methane, ammonia, water, and sulfur compounds.  Structure of Jupiter

Jupiter and the Great Red Spot

Jupiter: Giant Among Planets 23.3 The Outer Planets Jupiter’s satellite system, including the 28 moons discovered so far, resembles a miniature solar system.  Jupiter’s Moons  Jupiter’s Rings Jupiter’s ring system was one of the most unexpected discoveries made by Voyager 1.

Jupiter’s Largest Moons

_________________: The Elegant Planet 23.3 The Outer Planets  The most prominent feature of Saturn is its system of _________.  Features of Saturn Saturn’s atmosphere is very active, with winds roaring at up to 1500 kilometers per hour. Large cyclonic “storms” similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, although smaller, occur in Saturn’s atmosphere.

Saturn: The Elegant Planet 23.3 The Outer Planets  Saturn’s Rings Until the discovery that Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune have ring systems, this phenomenon was thought to be unique to Saturn.  Saturn’s Moons Saturn’s satellite system consists of 31 moons. Titan is the largest moon, and it is bigger than Mercury.

Saturn’s Rings

Uranus: The Sideways Planet 23.3 The Outer Planets  Instead of being generally perpendicular to the plane of its orbit like the other planets, Uranus’s axis of rotation lies nearly ____________________ with the plane of its orbit.

Uranus

Neptune: The Windy Planet 23.3 The Outer Planets  Winds exceeding ____________ kilometers per hour encircle Neptune, making it one of the ____________ places in the solar system.

Neptune

Asteroids: Microplanets 23.4 Minor Members of the Solar System  An asteroid is a small, rocky body whose diameter can range from a few hundred kilometers to less than a kilometer.  Most asteroids lie between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Comets 23.4 Minor Members of the Solar System  Comets are small bodies made of rocky and metallic pieces held together by frozen gases. Comets generally revolve about the sun in elongated orbits.

Check Ins 1.What is a Jovian Planet? Give 4 examples 2. Which planet is known as the windy planet? 3.What is a Terrestrial Planet? Give 4 examples 4. Which planet has a greater mass than the combined mass of all the remaining planets and their moons? 5.What is the most obvious difference between a Jovian and Terrestrial planet?