1. Lesson 3
The Planets

2. Standard S6E1.c Lesson 3: The Planets
Compare and contrast the planets in terms of: size relative to the Earth, surface & atmospheric features, relative distance from the sun, and ability to support life.

3. Warm Up: Can you list the planets in order from the sun?

4. What are some things you can compare and contrast about the planets?

5. Label the planets on your paper.

6. Label the inner (aka. terrestrial planets) and outer planets (aka gas giants).

7. Write one of these analogies at the bottom of your solar system sheet: My very educated mother just said uh-oh no pluto. My Very Eager Mother just served us nine pies.

8. Animation: Distance of Planets from the Sun & Each Other
(Zoom animation to 300)
Run in Place while we travel….
At the speed of today's fastest spacecraft (~20 km/second), it would take almost ten years to travel this distance. Even at the speed of light, the trip would last 5 1/2 hours. In this animation, the apparent speed of the viewer is over 300 times the speed of light.

9. Animation: Distance of Planets from the Sun & Each Other
and Drop Puzzle
Drag-drop game for inner and outer planets….

10. Terms: The Planets Study Jams Inner Planets

11. 1. What factors exists on Earth that make life possible here, but unlikely on any other planet?
Earth has Liquid water, moderate temperature, and an atmosphere rich in oxygen, which are all needed for life.

12. 2. Which planets in the solar system are called the “gas giants” and why? Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. They are giant planets, much larger than Earth. They are mainly composed of gases and do not have well-defined surfaces.

13. 3. In general, what condition on the planets is MOST affected by its distance from the sun? temperature. It will get colder further from the sun and hotter closer to it.

14. Asteroid belt, kuiper belt

15. Asteroid belt, kuiper belt

16. The Inner Planets Mercury Venus Earth Mars
Also known as the “Terrestrial Planets”
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars

17. Mercury- 0 Moons Planet Surface Features Atmospheric Conditions
Distance from the sun
58,000,000 km
Diameter
4,880 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
88 days
Gravity (X Earth’s0
0.38
Moons
Planet
Surface Features
Atmospheric Conditions
Mercury
rocky surface with many craters
very thin atmosphere

18. Mercury Planet Rings? Cool facts Mercury no closest to the sun
Distance from the sun
58,000,000 km
Diameter
4,880 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
88 days
Gravity (X Earth’s0
0.38
Moons
Planet
Rings?
Cool facts
Mercury no
closest to the sun
high temperature

19. Venus- 0 Moons Planet Surface Features Atmospheric Conditions Venus
Distance from the Sun
108,000,000 km
Diameter
12,100 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
225 days
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.91
Moons
Venus- 0 Moons
Planet
Surface Features
Atmospheric Conditions
Venus
rocky surface
atmosphere thick with carbon dioxide, which traps heat under it.

20. Venus Planet Rings? Cool facts Venus no
Distance from the Sun
108,000,000 km
Diameter
12,100 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
225 days
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.91
Moons
Planet
Rings?
Cool facts
Venus no
Close to the same size as Earth
Hotter than Mercury because of the Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere

21. Distance from the Sun 150,000,000 km
Diameter = 12,760 km
Length of Year = days
Gravity = 1
Moons = 1
Earth (1 moon)
Planet
Surface Features
Atmospheric Conditions
Earth
Rocky
surface is covered with plains, valleys, mountains, plateaus, active volcanoes.
About ¾ of surface is covered with water.
78% nitrogen
21% oxygen

22. Earth (1 moon) Planet Rings? Cool facts Earth no
Distance from the Sun 150,000,000 km
Diameter = 12,760 km
Length of Year = days
Gravity = 1
Moons = 1
Earth (1 moon)
Planet
Rings?
Cool facts
Earth no
Only planet that can support life because it has liquid water, moderate temperatures, & an oxygen rich atmosphere.

23. Mars Planet Surface Features Atmospheric Conditions Mars
Distance from the Sun
228,000,000 km
Diameter
6,790 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
687 days
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.38
Moons 2
Mars
Planet
Surface Features
Atmospheric Conditions
Mars
rocky and dusty surface, hills, plains, mountains, extinct volcanoes, craters,
Thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide

24. Mars (2 moons) Known as the Red Planet due to iron making “dirt” red
Distance from the Sun
228,000,000 km
Diameter
6,790 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
687 days
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.38
Moons 2
Mars (2 moons)
Planet
Rings?
Cool facts
Mars no
Known as the Red Planet due to iron making “dirt” red
Ice caps in the north and south poles
Largest volcano in the solar system
May have once had water
May have once supported life

25. Triton, Neptune’s moon

26. The Outer Planets “Gas Giants”
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
*No solid surfaces to walk upon*

27. outer planets :The planets that are much farther from the sun:
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Outer planets are larger and composed of gas…. Gas giants
Pluto is a dwarf planet – it is not included in the outer planets group because it has different characteristics

28. Jupiter (63 moons) Planet Surface Features Atmospheric Conditions
Distance from the Sun
778,000,000 km
Diameter
143,000 km
Yea Length (Earth Years)
119 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
2.53
Moons 63
Planet
Surface Features
Atmospheric Conditions
Jupiter
No solid surface
slushy ball of liquid hydrogen,
atmosphere mostly helium and hydrogen gases.
large red spot (gigantic storm or hurricane).

29. Saturn (47 moons) Planet Surface Features Atmospheric Conditions
Distance from the Sum
1,427,000,000 km
Diameter
120,500 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
29.4 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
1.14
Moons 47
Saturn (47 moons)
Planet
Surface Features
Atmospheric Conditions
Saturn
No solid surface
Hydrogen & helium gases

30. Saturn
In 1979 the Voyager 1 spacecraft saw that Jupiter has rings like Saturn too, albeit a much fainter system primarily made up of dust. The particles in Jupiter's ring are smaller than those in Saturn's rings and do not reflect light as well. In the case of Jupiter, physical models suggest that the particles should not be able to remain in the rings very long, thus the rings should dissolve over time.

31. Uranus (27 moons) Planet Surface Features Atmospheric Conditions
Distance from the Sun
2,871,000,000 km
Diameter
51,100 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
84 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.9
Moons 27
Uranus (27 moons)
Planet
Surface Features
Atmospheric Conditions
Uranus
No solid surface
surface completely covered with water, methane, and ammonia

32. Neptune Planet Surface Features Atmospheric Conditions Neptune
Distance from the Sun
4,498,000,000 km
Diameter
49,500 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
165 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
1.14
Moons 13
Neptune
Planet
Surface Features
Atmospheric Conditions
Neptune
No solid surface;
methane gas clouds
icy ocean of water, methane, ammonia, hydrogen

33. RINGS & COOL FACTS

34. Planet Rings? Cool facts
Distance from the Sun
778,000,000 km
Diameter
143,000 km
Yea Length (Earth Years)
119 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
2.53
Moons 63
Jupiter (63 moons)
Planet
Rings?
Cool facts
Jupiter
Yes, thin ones
Largest planet
Giant red spot (largest hurricane in solar system)

35. Jupiter (63 moons)

36. Jupiter: Great Red Spot (hurricane/storm)

37. Jupiter: Great Red Spot (hurricane/storm)

38. Planet Comparison- Rings & Cool Facts
Distance from the Sum
1,427,000,000 km
Diameter
120,500 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
29.4 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
1.14
Moons 47
Saturn (47 moons)
Planet Comparison- Rings & Cool Facts
Planet
Rings?
Cool facts
Saturn
Yes, complex ring system
Complex ring system
2nd largest planet

39. Saturn (47 moons)

40. Uranus (27 moons) Planet Rings? Cool facts Uranus Yes, 11 rings
Distance from the Sun
2,871,000,000 km
Diameter
51,100 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
84 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
0.9
Moons 27
Uranus (27 moons)
Planet
Rings?
Cool facts
Uranus
Yes, 11 rings
Blue-green color from poisonous methane
rotates on its side
poles point toward and away from sun
extremely cold temperature,

41. Uranus (27 moons)

42. Neptune Planet Rings? Cool facts Neptune Yes, 6 rings
Distance from the Sun
4,498,000,000 km
Diameter
49,500 km
Year Length (Earth Years)
165 years
Gravity (X Earth’s)
1.14
Moons 13
Neptune
Planet
Rings?
Cool facts
Neptune
Yes, 6 rings
fourth largest planet,
glows blue-green b/c of methane gas clouds,

43. Quick Check
Which planets in the solar system are called the gas giants?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Earth, Venus, Pluto, Mars

44. Quick Check
Which is the current and correct model of our solar system?
The Big Bang Theory
The Geocentric Theory
The Pythagorean Theory
The Heliocentric Theory

45. Quick Check
What three factors exist on Earth that make life possible here, but unlikely on any other planet?
A. liquid water, moderate temperatures, atmospheric oxygen
B. liquid water, moderate temperatures, atmospheric nitrogen
C. liquid water, moderate size of Earth, atmospheric oxygen
D. solid water, moderate temperatures, atmospheric oxygen

46. Quick Check Which planet is MOST LIKELY to support life as we know it?
A. Mercury
B. Venus
C. Jupiter
D. Mars

47. Quick Check
In general, what condition is MOST affected by its distance from the sun?
A. size
B. temperature
C. atmosphere
D. surface composition

48. Quick Check
The force of gravity on a planet determines the weight of objects on the planet. If you weighted 30 kg (66 pounds) on Earth, what would you weigh on Jupiter?
A kg (5.2 pounds)
B. 30 kg (66 pounds)
C kg (75.4 pounds)
D kg (167.3 pounds)