Solar System Learning About the Planets

Solar Systems

Learning about the Planets

Review

• Our Solar System has 8 planets

• There are four Terrestrial planets

• There are four Gaseous planets

• All eight planets orbit around the sun

Multiple Choice

True or False

The Earth is the center of the solar system.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The order of the planets is:

• Mars, Venus, Earth,

  Mercury, Saturn

  Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune

• Earth,Venus,Mars

  Jupiter, Neptune,

  Mercury,Saturn,

  Uranus

• Mercury, Venus, Earth

  Mars, Jupiter,

  Saturn, Uranus

  Neptune

Multiple Choice

The __________ has planets, moons, comets, and asteroids.

• solar system
• earth
• rotation
• United States

Multiple Choice

What is true of all planets?

• They are large bodies in space that orbit the Sun
• Planets do not move, only stars move
• Planets make their own light
• Planets are larger than stars

A Planet Must:

• Have enough gravity to make it form a circular shape

• Orbit around a star

• "Clear the Neighborhood" around it's orbit. This means it is the dominant source of gravity in an area. It either pushes other things away or pulls them in and survives the crash.

Multiple Choice

What percent of stars in the Milky Way host planetary systems like our Solar System?

• 60%

• 5%

• 90%

• 15%

Multiple Choice

Mercury, Venus, Earth, & Mars are all:

• Terrestrial Planets (inner planets)

• Gaseous Planets (outer planets)

• Both

• Dwarf Planets

Multiple Choice

What characteristic do Terretrial Planets NOT share?

• They are small

• They have few or no moons

• They have many rings

• They are made from a rocky material

Mercury

• Is the smallest planet and the closest to the sun

• Has the shortest year. It only takes three months for Mercury to completely orbit the sun.

• Does not hold heat because it has a thin atmosphere

• Has no seasons since it has very little tilt

Venus

• Has a thick atmosphere layer full of carbon dioxide which helps it be the hottest planet

• orbits the opposite direction of Earth and most other planets

• Is roughly the same size as Earth, known as Earth's Twin

• Has an orbit similar to Earth. It takes 225 days for Venus to orbit the sun

Earth

• takes 365 days to orbit the sun

• is the only planet to have liquid water on its surface

• is the largest terrestrial planet

• Has one moon

• is the only planet with a German name, meaning "the ground"

Mars

• has a very thin atmosphere

• takes 687 days to orbit the sun, nearly twice as many as the Earth!

• has two tiny moons

• is half the size of Earth

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT true of all the inner planets?

• They are made of solid rock.

• They are called gas giants.

• They do not have rings.

• They have impact craters.

Multiple Choice

The asteroid belt can be found between which two planets?

• Earth and Mars
• Venus and Earth
• Saturn and Uranus
• Mars and Jupiter

"Jovian Planets" are Gaseous Planets

• None of them have a solid surface

• The Gas Giants, Jupiter and Saturn, are primarily helium and hydrogen gases

• The Ice Giants, Uranus and Neptune, are also helium and hydrogen gas. However, they also have rocks, water, methane and ammonia in a frozen mixture.

Multiple Choice

Planets that would fall into Group 1 on this chart would most likely be: (click on the picture to make the chart bigger)

• Terrestrial

• Gas Giants

Multiple Choice

What are three characteristics the outer planets have in common?

• They are made of rock, close to the sun and have a short year.

• They are made of rock, have 1-2 moons and are made of metal.

• First four planets, have many moons and rings.

• Made of gas, many moons and rings.

Multiple Select

Check all the planets that are NOT gas giants.

• Neptune

• Mars

• Jupiter

• Venus

Multiple Select

Gaseous plants: (Check all that are true)

• Have multiple moons

• Have no solid surface

• Have the ability to have rings

• Are incredibly large

Jupiter

• Is the largest planet in the Solar System and takes 12 years to orbit around the sun

• Has The Great Red Spot. A storm that has been going for over a hundred years

• Has rings but they are difficult to see

• Has at least 75 moons!

Saturn

• Is the second largest planet and takes 29 years to orbit the Sun

• Has wide rings around it. These rings stretch the same distance as Earth to the Moon

• Saturn's rings are made of rock and ice

• Has 53 named moons and may have more than Jupiter

Uranus

• Is known for rotating on it's side. This makes seasons on Uranus last 21 years!

• Has 13 rings, but they are hard to see

• Has 27 moons

• Takes 84 years to orbit around the Sun

Neptune

• Is the farthest planet and the coldest!

• Takes 184 years to orbit the sun

• Has 14 moons and at least 5 rings

• Is the windiest word. Wind can be faster than 1,200 miles per hour here!

• Like Jupiter, Neptune has a dark spot to show a big storm.

Multiple Choice

What relationship do you notice as the planets get further away from the sun?

• The days get longer due to the distance the planets are from the sun.

• The years become longer due to the distance each planet is from the sun.

• The years on each planet are the same

• As the planets get further from the sun their night is shorter.

Multiple Choice

A new planet has been recently discovered! It is small, rocky and only has one moon. What type of planet would it be classified as?

• Terrestrial

• Gas Giant

Multiple Choice

Another planet is discovered! It is the size of Earth and has no moons or rings. It is too far to know for sure, but we think it is a rocky surface full of mountains. What type of planet would it be classified as?

• Terrestrial

• Gas Giant

Multiple Choice

Another planet is discovered! It is large and seems to be made of gas. Scientists think there are 7 rings around the planet. What type of planet would it be classified as?

• Terrestrial

• Gas Giant

Multiple Choice

What is Pluto now known as...

• a planet

• a dwarf planet

• a gas giant

• the Moon's twin

Dwarf Planets

There are currently five Dwarf planets: Ceres, Eris, Makemake, Huamea and Pluto.

Dwarf Planets meet 2 of the 3 planet restrictions. They orbit around the sun and have enough gravity to be a circular shape.

Dwarf planets are not big enough to "clear their neighborhood" like a planet.

This image shows the layout of the Solar System. You can see the asteroid belt that separates the terrestrial and gaseous planets. The dwarf planet Ceres is close to that belt.

Multiple Choice

Pluto typically is found near...

• The Kuiper Belt

• Mars

• The asteroid belt

• Earth

Multiple Select

Dwarf planets: (Check all that are true)

• Orbit the sun

• Have enough gravity to make them circular

• Clear their neighborhood

• Have rings

For a Planet to be Habitable:

• There must be liquid water

• Have a circular orbit around a star so it has manageable seasons

• Must remain in stable orbit for billions of years

Multiple Choice

In order for life as we know it to exist, a planet must have ______________________

• heat
• animals
• liquid water
• solar energy

"Goldilocks Planets"

Planets that may meet the requirements to sustain life are called "Goldilocks Planets".

A planet must be a certain distance away from its star to maintain a temperature that allows liquid water.

These planets must be within the "Goldilocks Zone" around a star.

Multiple Choice

What happens if a planet is too hot?

• The water will be nice and warm

• The water will boil away

• The water will be too cold

• The water will freeze and make ice

Multiple Choice

What happens if a planet is too cold?

• The water will be nice and warm

• The water will be cold

• The water will boils away

• It will be like a giant ball of ice

Life in the Milky Way?

• About 7% of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy are similar in size and temperature to our Sun

• Each of these stars may have a planet in the Goldilocks Zone

• Scientists believe these planets are our best hope to find life in space.