| SCIENCE | MATTER | SOLAR SYSTEM | PLANETS | ATMOSPHERE | WIND and TEMPERATURE | HUMIDITY | WEATHERING | SOIL | SEASONS | MASS WASTING | WIND WORK | STREAMS | LAND FORMS | GROUND WATER | CAVES/KARST | THE OCEAN | TIDES & ESTUARIES | WAVES | GLACIERS | GLACIAL LANDFORMS | VOLCANOES | VOLCANOES | CHON | PLATE TECHTONICS | EARTHQUAKES | ROCKS

PLANETS



Relative size of planets in order of their distance from
the Sun

Earth-like: These are similar to Earth.They have a thin atmosphere, few or no rockymoons,
and are dense.

Jovian: These are similar to Jupiter.They emit more energy than they receive from the
Sun. They have lots of moons, thick atmosphere, and rings/partial rings. No real surfaces

Earth-like planets in order of their distance from the Sun.

Mercury



Caloris Basin - huge crater, must have been hit by something gigantic
density = 5.43
most eccentric orbit
no permanent atmosphere
temperatue = -150 degrees C to + 450 degrees C

Venus



dense clouds, containg H₂SO₄
hottest planet
density = 5.43
most circular orbit
retograde rotation
albedo 0.75
temperatue = 450 degrees C

Earth



3 phases of water - gas, liquid, and solid.
density = 5.52
one moon: our Moon
only planet known to have proven life

Mars



red due to hematite (iron oxides)
must have once had a hot wet climate
two moons: Phobos, Diemos
dust storm
temperature = -140 degrees C to + 20 degrees C
Olympus Mons -largest known volcano in Solar System
Valles Marineris
canyon the size of the U.S. in width
much deeper than the Grand Canyon

Jovian planets in order of their distance from the Sun.

Jupiter



largest planet in Solar System
giant red spot - hurricane like storm
Galilean moons
Granymeade, largest moon in Solar System
Callisto
Europa
Io - has an active volcano

Saturn


next in size to Jupiter
best seen rings (H₂O on surface of dust)
density = 0.70 (would float in water)
moon - Titan, 2nd largest moon in Solar System
Has lots of moons some of which are "shepard" moons in
its rings

Uranus



discovered by Herschal in 1781, but had been on star charts since 1691
equitorial plane (axis of rotation) 90 degrees to plane of orbit
dust storm
temperature = -200 degrees C

Neptune



most dense and distant of Jovian planets
atmosphere is methane
rings are shaped in arcs

Home

Page Visits