1. { The Inner Planets Chapter 14 Section 3

2. https://prezi.com/m8ga9yslzfjt/brief-introduction-to-the-solar-system/

3. Mercury Mercury is the smallest terrestrial planet, slightly larger than our moon Planet closest to the sun Hard to see from Earth A probe, Mariner 10 has flown by Mercury from 1974- 1975 Messenger flew around Mercury 3 times in 2011 then went into orbit around Mercury

4. One year on Mercury is 88 Earth days Thin atmosphere 800 degrees during the day and -290 at night Has no moons https://www.brainpop.com/science/space/mercury/

5. Venus Venus is similar in size and mass to Earth Venus’s density and internal structure are similar to Earth Its day is longer than its year! 7.5 Earth months is one year 8 months is one day Venus rotates from east to west which is opposite most planets May be rotating that way due to a large impact or its thick atmosphere

6. Atmosphere is so thick it is always cloudy Atmosphere is so heavy you would be crushed by it, 90 times more pressure Clouds mostly made of sulfuric acid Atmosphere mostly made of carbon dioxide

7. Hottest temperatures on the surface of any planet at an average of 860 degrees No moons First probe landed on Venus in 1970, Venera 7 Survived a few minutes due to heat and pressure Magellan 1990 had radar instruments that worked through the clouds Mapped the surface Covered in rocks Has many volcanoes and plains formed by lava https://www.brainpop.com/science/space/venus/

8. Earth Three main layers crust, mantle, core Unique because it has liquid water Earth’s atmosphere is 20% oxygen, mostly nitrogen, and small amounts of other gases such as carbon dioxide

9. Mars Nickname “red planet”, red due to iron-rich rocks that creates dust that covers most of the surface Atmosphere is 95% carbon dioxide Thin atmosphere allows you to look at Mars’ surface with a telescope Temperatures range from -220 to 68 degrees F Giovani Scchiaparelli in 1877 saw long straight lines on Mars he called canals, found false Think large amounts of water once flowed on Mars’ surface in the distant past

10. If there was liquid water on Mars, the atmosphere is so thin any liquid water would soon turn into gas Polar caps on Mars is where scientists think most of the water is now Mars is tilted on its axis so it has seasons Many windstorms on Mars Spirit and Opportunity rovers explored Mars at the same time just opposite sides of the planet Has large volcanoes, the largest volcano in the solar system Olympus Mons, three times taller than Mt. Everest

11. Two small, oddly-shaped moons Phobos, car could drive the diameter in 20 minutes Deimos is smaller Predict Phobos will crash into Mars in 40 million years 1 day is about 24 Earth hours 1 year is about 687 Earth days https://www.brainpop.com/science/spac e/mars/