small, have rocky surfaces terrestrial planets: meaning earth
TRANSCRIPT
THE INNER
PLANETS
4 INNER PLANETS Small, have rocky surfaces
Terrestrial Planets: meaning earth
MERCURY
EXPLORING MERCURY closest to the Sun Interior is made up of iron and nickel metals
So close to the sun that people can’t get a good view of it.
Only half of Mercury has been photographed
Many flat plains and craters
MERCURY’S ATMOSPHERE Thin/No atmosphere Gases where once heated so much they moved so fast they escaped Mercury’s atmosphere
Greatest range of temperature of all planets
FOLDABLE Nearest planet to sun Our moon and Mercury’s surface
look alike (craters) No atmosphere No moons Revolves around sun with same
side always facing sun Greatest range of temperature
(662°F=day, -274°F=night)
VENUS
Earth’s twin (similar in size) If you see a bright object in the
west after sunset it is most likely Venus
Venus’s RotationTakes 7.5 Earth months to revolve around sun
8 months to rotate on axis Day is longer than Year Rotates east to west (clockwise)
unlike most planets Retrograde rotation: moving
backward
VENUS’S ATMOSPHERE Atmosphere so thick it is always
cloudyNo sunny days
If you stood on Venus you would be crushed. Atmosphere is so strong
Greenhouse Effect: trapping of heat by atmosphere
EXPLORING VENUS
19 spacecraft have visited 1st only last 23 minutes before it was destroyed
Rocky areas, volcanoes with lava flows, craters, strange domes
FOLDABLE Second planet from sun Spins slowly backwards as it
orbits Atmosphere made mostly of
carbon dioxide Hottest planet (860°F) Surface: craters, mountains,
volcanic lava flows. No moons Day is longer than year
EARTH
FOLDABLE 3rd planet from the sun 70% water, 30% land 1 moon Conditions necessary for life Has volcanoes and earthquakes Three layers
Crust: solid rocky surfaceMantle: hot molten rockCore: inner solid, outer liquid
MARS
Red planet: looks slightly red in the sky
You could walk on Mars but would need airtight suit and oxygen tank
Frozen ice at each pole Has season’s just like Earth
EXPLORING MARS Giant volcanoes but probably not
active Red rock from rusty dust No oceans or water now Was water millions of years ago
MARS’S MOONS Has two moon’sPhobos: 27 km in diameter (distance car travels on highway in 15 minutes
Deimos: 15 kmCovered with craters
FOLDABLE 4th planet from sun Rust causes surface to have a red glow Polar ice caps at each pole Two small moons (covered in craters) Thin atmosphere Huge dust storms cover surface at times Has seasons Volcanoes No water now Day=25 hours Year=686 days