1. Terrestrial Planets
(Power Point 10)
Image Credit: Space.com

2. Student Learning Objectives
Construct a model of the Solar System; its creation, contents, and evolution.
Identify & describe each Terrestrial Planet
Compare and contrast the Terrestrial planets with Earth

3. What are the main characteristics of Terrestrial planets?
Relatively Small Rocky Objects Differentiated
Relatively High density Metals (iron & silicates) Solid Surfaces
Image Credit: NASA

4. Surfaces Four processes alter solid surfaces. Impact craters
Volcanoes (flood impact craters)
Plate tectonics (Earth)
Weather

5. Many craters  Old surface Few craters  Young surface
Daedalus Crater (taken by the Apollo 11 crew)

6. Practice Which surface is relatively older? b) Moon Surface
a) Moon Surface
Images: NASA

7. More Practice Which object is relatively older? b) Moon a) Earth
Images: NASA

8. What are some features of Mercury?
Mercury has a 2/3 gravitational resonance with the Sun.
Small (2/5th size of Earth)
−290⁰ F to +800⁰ F
Image Credit: NASA

9. Comparing Interiors
Image Credit: NASA

10. Practice
Why does Mercury have such a large temperature range (−290 °F to +800 °F)?
What could explain the structure of Mercury (that it is mostly core)?
How many moons does Mercury have?
Do you expect Mercury to have an atmosphere? Why?

11. Mercury’s Northern Volcanic Plains
More Practice
Is Mercury more similar to our Moon or the Earth?
Is the surface of Mercury relatively young or old?
Why do we see little evidence of impact craters on our Earth?
Mercury’s Northern Volcanic Plains
Image: NASA 2016
Image: NASA

12. How do Venus and Mars compare to Earth?
Venus has a thick 96% CO2 atmosphere.
Complete cloud cover (sulfuric acid droplets)
Image Credit: NASA
Atmospheric pressure 90x Earth’s!

13. 9/10 Size of Earth Always +900 °F 0 Moons
Venus Facts
9/10 Size of Earth Always +900 °F 0 Moons
The North Pole of Venus
Image Credit: APOD

14. Video by National Geographic in 2009
Video by National Geographic in 2009

15. Practice Why is the temperature on Venus constant?
What could have caused Venus to spin retrograde?
Is Venus more similar to our Moon or the Earth? Explain.
Analyze the atmospheric conditions on Venus and discuss greenhouse effect.

16. Planet Mars Mars has seasons similar to Earth’s seasons
Mars has a thin 95 % CO2 atmosphere.
Image Credit: NASA
Atmospheric pressure 1% of Earth’s!

17. 2 Moons for Planet Mars
Deimos
Phobos
Image Credit: NASA

18. Mars Facts
1/3 Size of Earth −220 °F to +70 °F Frozen polar caps CO2 & H2O
Northern Polar Ice Cap of Mars
Image Credit: NASA

19.
by IBT TV

20. Practice What causes Mars to have seasons similar to Earth’s seasons?
Analyze the atmospheric conditions on Mars and discuss greenhouse effect.
Is Mars more similar to our Moon or the Earth? Explain.
Is the surface of Mars relatively young or old?

21. More Practice What is the name of the current rover exploring Mars?
Compare and contrast Venus and Mars.