The Solar System Inner Planets 14 3 Components

Components of our Solar System • • • Planets Star Comets Asteroids Satellites Space

Planets • There are 8 planets: Gas Giants – – – – – Mercury

Inner Planets • Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called the inner planets •

Earth • Atmosphere extends 100+km above the surface. • Atmosphere is 78% Nitrogen; 21%

Earth • 3 main layers: crust, mantle, and core • Dense core made of

Mercury • Closest to the sun • Similar in size to the Earth’s moon

Mercury • Very little atmosphere, causing the environment to be extreme – Day time

Venus • Similar in size to Earth (Earth’s twin) • Venus’s density and internal

Venus • Very thick atmosphere, never has a sunny day (clouds= sulfuric acid) •

Mars • Called the “red planet” due to it’s reddish hue. • Atmosphere: 95%

Mars • Temperatures range from -140 o. C to 20 o. C • Some

Mars • Has seasons just like Earth because of it’s tilt. • The largest

Homework • Read Section 3, Chapter 14 • Do the review questions on page

Slides: 14

Download presentation

The Solar System Inner Planets 14. 3

Components of our Solar System • • • Planets Star Comets Asteroids Satellites Space Trash Dark Matter Particles (Dust) Electromagnetic radiation (Photons)

Planets • There are 8 planets: Gas Giants – – – – – Mercury Venus Terrestrial Planets Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus (YOOR uh nus) Neptune Pluto

Inner Planets • Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called the inner planets • The four inner planets are small and dense and have rocky surfaces • They are often called the terrestrial planets

Earth • Atmosphere extends 100+km above the surface. • Atmosphere is 78% Nitrogen; 21% Oxygen • Earth is unique in our solar system in having liquid water on its surface • 70% of Earth’s surface is covered in water.

Earth • 3 main layers: crust, mantle, and core • Dense core made of iron and nickel.

Mercury • Closest to the sun • Similar in size to the Earth’s moon (smallest planet) Why is it difficult for astronomers to learn about Mercury?

Mercury • Very little atmosphere, causing the environment to be extreme – Day time temp: 600 degrees Celsius (840 o F) – Nighttime temp: -200 degrees Celsius (-300 o F) • Made up mainly of dense metal irons and nickel.

Venus • Similar in size to Earth (Earth’s twin) • Venus’s density and internal structure are similar to Earth’s • Takes about 7. 5 Earth months to revolve around the sun • Takes 8 months to rotate on its axis • Rotates from east to west (retrograde rotation)

Venus • Very thick atmosphere, never has a sunny day (clouds= sulfuric acid) • Pressure of Venus’ atmosphere is 90 x greater than that of the Earth’s • Atmosphere= mostly CO 2 • Surface temp: 600 degrees Celsius due to the greenhouse effect. HOT ENOUGH TO MELT LEAD!!!!!!

Mars • Called the “red planet” due to it’s reddish hue. • Atmosphere: 95% CO 2 and only has 1% of the pressure of Earth’s atmosphere.

Mars • Temperatures range from -140 o. C to 20 o. C • Some water remains in the form of ice at its north pole. • Scientists think that water flowed on Mars’s surface in the past

Mars • Has seasons just like Earth because of it’s tilt. • The largest volcano in our solar system is on Mars: Olympus Mons – it is three times the height of Everest and covers the state of Missouri • Mars has 2 small moons: Phobos (27 km diameter) and Deimos (15 km diameter)

Homework • Read Section 3, Chapter 14 • Do the review questions on page 559