1. The Planets (Page 47) Bell Ringer
If you could travel to any other planet in the solar system, which would it be and why?
Do this in your N.B. (page 49)

6. Essential Question:
What are the unique features that distinguish
the inner planets from
the outer planets?

7. The Planets
Planet – A large round object that orbits a star (and with a clear orbit)

8. Orbit – an elliptical path around the Sun

9. 1 - Inner Planets (Terrestrial)
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

10. 1 - Inner Planets
Characteristics:
*Small
*Rocky
*Thin atmosphere
*No or few moons

11. Mercury
*Flat with craters
*No Atmosphere
*Hot days (800⁰ F) and cold nights (-180⁰ F)

12. *Flat with more than 10,000 volcanoes
Venus
*”Earth’s twin”
*Dense, poisonous atmosphere
*Hottest planet
*Flat with more than 10,000 volcanoes
*Very slow rotation (8 months)

13. Earth
*Life
*Water
*Temperate
*Tectonic forces

14. *Polar ice caps (frozen CO2)
Mars
*Red planet
*Poisonous atmosphere
(CO2)
*Polar ice caps (frozen CO2)
*Largest volcano in S/S – Olympus Mons

15. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
2 - Outer Planets (Gas Giants)
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

16. *Farther away from the Sun (cold)
2 - Outer Planets
Characteristics:
*Large
*Thick, gaseous atmospheres with a small solid core
*Faster rotation
*Many moons and rings
*Farther away from the Sun (cold)

17. *The Great Red Spot (larger than Earth)
Jupiter
*Largest
*Rock and metal core, thick atmosphere
*The Great Red Spot (larger than Earth)
*At least 63 moons

18. *Rings – composed of chunks of ice and rocks orbiting the planet
Saturn
*Ice and rocky core, thick atmosphere
*Rings – composed of chunks of ice and rocks orbiting the planet
*At least 61 moons

19. *Blueish color due to methane gas in its atmosphere
Uranus
*Rocky core, thick atmosphere
*Blueish color due to methane gas in its atmosphere
*Tilted axis (rotates from top to bottom)
*At least 27 moons and a few thin rings

20. *At least 13 moons and a few thin rings
Neptune
*Rocky and ice core, thick atmosphere
*Dark blue spot
*At least 13 moons and a few thin rings

21. Conclusion (Below your Notes)
Using a Venn Diagram, compare and contrast the characteristics of the terrestrial planets with the gas giant planets.
Terrestrial Gas Giant
(Inner) (Outer)
Different Same Different