1. The Planets of the Inner Solar System

2. The inner solar system has rocky planets
The four planets that are closest to the sun are called the TERRESTRIAL PLANETS.
These planets have rocky crusts and dense mantles and cores.

3. Scientists use Earth as a model to understand the other planets
Scientists study Earth to learn more about other planets.
All of the terrestrial planets formed in similar ways and follow similar patterns.

4. The terrestrial planets have similar structures
All terrestrial planets have layers.
The heaviest materials form the core.
Lighter rock formed a mantle around the core.
The lightest rock rose to the surface and formed a crust.

5. Four types of processes shaped each planet's rocky crust

6. Tectonics
Tectonics is the processes of change in a crust due to the motion of hot material underneath.
The crusts of the planets can be twisted, wrinkled up, or stretched out by the mantle.

7. Volcanism
Volcanism occurs when molten rock moves from a planet’s hot interior onto its surface.
When the inside of a planet cools enough, no more molten rock reaches the surface.

8. Weathering and Erosion
Weather or small impacts break down rocks.
The broken material is moved by a group of processes called erosion.
The material may form dunes, new layers of rock, or other features.

9. Impact Cratering
A small object sometimes hits a planet’s surface so fast that it causes an explosion.
The crater it leaves behind can be 10 times larger than the object that created it!

10. How do these processes affect the Earth?
The next four slides will tell you how these processes affected the Earth.
Complete the “EARTH” page in your planet book.

11. Earth and Tectonics
Earth’s crust is split into large pieces called tectonic plates.
These plates are moved by Earth’s hot mantle.
Mountains, valleys and other features form as the plates move.

12. Earth and Volcanism
On Earth, magma often builds up into mountains and eventually erupts as lava.

13. Earth and Weathering & Erosion
On Earth, weathering and erosion create sedimentary rocks, sand dunes, fill in lakes, and change the topography.

14. Earth and Impact Cratering
On Earth, impact craters are generally erased by other geologic processes.
Impact craters can be found under lakes.

15. Earth's Stats Mass: 6 x 1024 kg Diameter: 12,800 km
Average distance from the sun: 1 AU
(150 million km)
Orbits in: 365 days
Rotates in: 24 hours

16. Monday October 20, 2008 Entry Task: Homework:
If you were on a space mission and had to go out to repair your spaceship what would your weight be? Explain why. (Minimum 3 sentences)
Homework:
Finish Terrestrial planets in planet book (what you don’t get done in class)

17. Find out more
Read pages and learn more about how the four processes, that we discussed with earth, shaped Mercury, Venus, and Mars.
Complete these pages in your Planet Book.
Work on your cover (must be colored and very well done for extra credit)