1. Gas Planets

2. Vocabulary:
Gas Planet – a large planet that has a deep, massive atmosphere
Planetary Ring – a disk of matter that circles a planet and consists of numerous particles in orbit that range in size from a few millimeters to several hundred meters.

3. The order of the gas planets from Mars
Mars – Jupiter – Saturn – Uranus - Neptune

4. What gives Neptune its bluish color?
It is caused by absorption of red light by methane in Neptune’s atmosphere.

5. What causes cloud bands to form in Jupiter?
The high winds on Jupiter circle the planet and causes cloud bands to form.

6. What are Saturn’s rings made up of?
Saturn’s rings are made up of trillions of small, icy bodies.

7. What is the tilt of Uranus’s axis of rotation?
The tilt of Uranus’s axis of rotation is almost 98 degrees.

8. What makes up the atmosphere of the gas giant planets?
Mostly composed of hydrogen and helium

9. Why do you think the wind speeds on the gas giant planets are so much greater than the wind speeds on Earth?
The gas giant planets have a greater speed of rotation.

10. Why do you think Neptune is our coldest planet?
It’s the furthest from the sun.

11. Interesting Facts: Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.
Neptune has the strongest winds in the solar system.
Saturn has the largest ring system of the gas giant planets.
Jupiter has more moons than any other planet in the solar system.
Uranus is tilted on its side as it orbits the Sun.

12. More Interesting Facts:
Saturn has a density that is less than water.