Solar system

SOLAR SYSTEMPlanet Webquest

General Info Revolution- a small object going around a bigger object Rotation- an object spinning on its axis. 8 planets + 5 dwarf planets in our solar system Inner planets:

Mercury Venus Mars Earth

Outer planets: Jupiter Saturn Uranus neptune

General Info (cont) Differences between inner and outer planets

There are more craters on the inner planets because the outer planets are not solid, therefore impact with smaller objects is impossible

Orbit- a path followed by a planet/satellite as it revolves around a larger object

Inner Outer

Made of rock Made of gas

No rings Rings

Small Big

Inside asteroid belt Outside asteroid belt

General info (cont 2) To be considered a planet, need to meet 3

requirements:Revolve around the sunHave enough mass to turn round because of gravityClears out objects in its path

Dwarf planet- a body that meets the first 2 requirements but not the third one

Dwarf planets:PlutoCeresErisHaumeaMakemake

THE INNER PLANETS

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

Mercury

It has no substantial atmosphere because it’s so tiny.

Atmosphere is composed of helium and sodium.

Three processes shaped mercury:Impact crateringVolcanismTectonic activity

Venus

Aka. The evening star because it is the brightest planet that could be viewed from earth.

Atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid

Retrograde rotation- it rotates in the opposite direction as the other planets

It rotates really slow, so a day is longer than a year. It spins the wrong way, so on Venus the sun rises in

the west and sets in the east. It’s greenhouse effect makes it the hottest planet in

the solar system.

Earth

Atmosphere:21% oxygen78% nitrogen0.9% argon0.1% other gases

Our atmosphere protects us from meteorites and the sun's harmful waves.

Tilts at a 23.5o angle. The magnetic field is produced by the Earth’s rotation and

it’s metal core. Has a natural satellite called “The Moon”, plus lots of

artificial ones.

Mars

Scientists study little pieces of rock from mars to try and find sign of life.

Atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide. It appears red because of the rusty iron on the

surface. Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the solar

system. It is on mars. To small moons:

PhobosDeimos

THE OUTER PLANETS

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Jupiter

It rotates really fast so the equator bulges while the ends are flatter

AtmosphereHydrogenHeliumSulfurNitrogen

Giant red spot- a huge hurricane that has been there since almost forever ago

Has at least 63 moons (more to be discovered) Io is volcanic, and the hot spots are hotter than any other

body in the solar system.

Saturn

Atmosphere:HydrogenHelium

Rings are caused by the breakup of old moons.

Rings are made of water ice and dust. Saturn is very light, could float on water Seasons on Saturn last 30 times longer

than seasons on earth.

Uranus

It rotates on its side Atmosphere:

HydrogenHeliumMethane

27 known satellites.

Neptune

Atmosphere:AmmoniaHeliumMethane

On the question sheet it asks how many moons does Uranus have. I assume that it is a typo and it was meant to ask how many moons does Neptune have.

13 known natural satellites Triton might originally be a dwarf planet,

or moon of Uranus, or moon of Pluto, or something else that got sucked into Neptune's gravitational pull

DWARF PLANETSPluto, Ceres, Eris

Pluto

Moons:CharonNixHydra

By using a spectroscope, scientists detected methane frost on Pluto and water frost on Charon.

Charon is half the size of pluto

Ceres

One revolution= 4.6 earth years It is among lots of asteroids so it was

considered an asteroid for a period of time.

 Water ice, carbonates, and clays can be found on the surface

Eris

Old name is Xena One revolution= 557 earth years Moon= Dysnomia It did not clear out its orbit so it is not

considered a planet.