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Planets Notes

The document summarizes the members of the solar system. It includes the sun, eight planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. It describes how the nebular theory explains the formation of the sun and planets from a rotating disk of dust and gases. It then provides details on the composition and characteristics of each planet, including their atmospheres, moons, rotation and revolution periods.

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Julie
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58 views4 pages

Planets Notes

The document summarizes the members of the solar system. It includes the sun, eight planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. It describes how the nebular theory explains the formation of the sun and planets from a rotating disk of dust and gases. It then provides details on the composition and characteristics of each planet, including their atmospheres, moons, rotation and revolution periods.

Uploaded by

Julie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Solar System is a collective name for the Sun together with the groups of celestial (heavenly)

bodies that are held in it’s gravity and revolve around the Sun.
MEMBERS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
1. The Sun- is a star, a huge ball of hot gases with a temperature of around 15,000,000 degrees Celsius at the center and
5,000 degrees Celsius at the surface.
2. The Planets- classified into four Terrestrial (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) and four Gaseous or Jovian (Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus and Neptune)
• 3. Comets
• 4. Meteoroids
• 5. Asteroids
• 6. Dwarf Planets in the Kuiper Belt
How did the Planets Form?

Nebular Theory

• A nebula is a cloud of gas and/or dust in space.

• According to the nebular theory, the sun and planets formed from a rotating disk of dust and gases.

Planetesimals

• Planetesimals are small, irregularly shaped bodies formed by colliding matter.

Composition of Planets

Gases, hydrogen an helium, are those with melting points near absolute zero (0 Kelvin). These are the most
abundant constituents of the solar nebula.

Rocks, principally silicate minerals and metallic iron which have melting points that exceed 700ºC.

Ices, include ammonia, methane, carbon dioxide and water. They have immediate melting points.
The 8 Planets
1. MERCURY
Nearest planet to the Sun.
It is very hot during the day, 426 degrees Celsius and very cold at night -170 degrees Celsius.
Surface has many craters because it has no atmosphere.
Mercury has no moons.
Rotation: 58 days, 15 hours, 30 minutes.
Revolution: 88 days.
The Fastest planet.

2. VENUS
• Second planet from the Sun.
• Aside from the Sun, Venus is the brightest object in the sky commonly referred to as the “Morning and Evening
Star”
• Considered as the Twin Planet of the Earth.
• Venus is known as the hottest planet because of its very thick atmosphere made up of Carbon dioxide.
• The layer of Carbon dioxide traps heat and results to Greenhouse Effect, sending temperatures if 482 °C.
• The clouds of Venus are mostly Sulfuric acid, which gives Venus a yellow-white color. All the rains in Venus are acid
rain.
• The surface of Venus has faults and volcanoes.
• Venus is the Earth’s closest neighbor.
• It was the first planet to be studied with space in 1962.
• Venus has no moons and the gravity is as strong as the Earth

3. EARTH “The Living Planet”


• Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
• It is the only living planet where life exist.
• Earth is rich in liquid water that supports life.
• It has atmosphere that supports and protects life.
• Earth’s atmosphere burns most of the meteors before the reach the Earth’s surface.
• The Earth has one large Moon.
• Rotation: 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.2 seconds
• Revolution: 365 ¼ days

4. MARS “The Red Planet”


• Mars is known as the “Red Planet”, its surface appears red-yellow because of Iron oxide in the soil and dust that
covers most of the planet.
• Mars has a thin atmosphere composed mostly of Carbon dioxide, small amounts of Oxygen and Nitrogen.
• Mars has water in its atmosphere but not enough to condense and form clouds.
• Days on Mars are almost the same as on Earth.
• Rotation: 24 hours, 37 minutes
• Revolution: 687 days
• Mars was once believed to have water.
• Mount Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the Solar System is in Mars.
• Mars’ gravity is 2/5 as strong as the Earth.
• Mars has two irregularly shaped moons- Phobos (25km) and Deimos (13km)
5. JUPITER
• Jupiter is the largest gaseous planet in our Solar System.

• It is more than 11 times the size of Earth.

• The great mass of Jupiter enables it to generate very strong gravitational force.

• Jupiter is a gaseous planet.

• Jupiter’s atmosphere is made up of Hydrogen, Helium, Methane, Ammonia and Water Vapor.

• Jupiter has very small, faint dust rings around it.

• Jupiter has at least 63 moons.

• Four moons were first observed by Galileo Galilei and was named Galilean Moons- Ganymede, Io, Europa and
Callisto.

• Most striking feature is the Great Red Spot in the southern hemisphere which is a counterclockwise rotating storm.

• Rotation: 9 hours, 56 minutes

• Revolution: 12 years

6. SATURN “The Elegant Planet”


• Saturn is the second largest planet but has the lowest density.
• 9.5 times larger than Earth.
• Radiates more energy into space.
• Rotation: 10 hours, 39 minutes
• Revolution: 29 years
• Saturn is a gaseous planet.
• It has a thick atmosphere of Hydrogen, Helium, some Methane and Water Vapor.
• Saturn has at least 31 moons.
• The largest is Titan.

7. URANUS “The Sideways Planet”


• Uranus is the third largest planet with a system of 11 thin, dark rings.
• Discovered by William Herschel on March 13, 1781.
• Atmosphere is made up of Hydrogen, Helium and some Methane which gives the planet’s bluish- green color.
• Uranus radiates the same amount of solar energy it receives.
• Uranus’ axis of rotation is tilted at 84 degrees on its side.
• The result is its North Pole faces the Sun for ½ of 84 years revolution.
• Rotation: 17 hours, 14 minutes
• Revolution: 84 years
• Uranus’ gravity is a little stronger than of the Earth.
• Has at least 21 moons, largest is Titania.
8. NEPTUNE ‘The Windy Planet”
• Neptune is the fourth largest planet.

• Neptune has an elliptical orbit.

• Atmosphere is made up of Methane, which gives the bluish-green color.

• Neptune has a dark colored storm called Great Dark Spot.

• Neptune has the fastest winds in the Solar System.

• Neptune has at least 11 moons, largest is Triton.

• Neptune was discovered in Berlin Observatory, Germany by Johann Gottfried Galle on September 23-24, 1846.

• Rotation: 16 hours, 6 minutes

• Revolution: 165 years

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