Planet Characteristics

Which characteristics describe Mercury?

• largest

• smallest

• heavily cratered

• thick atmosphere

• looks like moon

Which characteristics describe Venus?

• permanent layer of clouds

• very hot

• heavily cratered

• liquid water

• similar to earth in size and mass

Which characteristics describe Earth?

• permanent layer of clouds

• 150 million km from sun

• heavily cratered

• liquid water

• gas giant

Which characteristics describe Mars?

• Looks like moon

• thin atmosphere

• half the size of earth

• canyons

• river beds

Which characteristics describe Jupiter?

• largest

• solid surface

• enormous storms

• canyons

• river beds

Which characteristics describe Saturn?

• 10 times the size of earth

• solid surface

• Gas giant

• first thought to be only planet with rings

• river beds

Which characteristics describe Uranus?

• 10 times the size of earth

• spins on side

• Gas giant

• first thought to be only planet with rings

• Cold

Which characteristics describe Neptune?

• 10 times the size of earth

• spins on side

• Gas giant

• appears blue

• Cold

Which characteristics describe Sun?

• 110 times the diameter of the earth

• 4.6 thousand years old

• 4.6 billion years old

• average sized yellow star

• Cold

Which characteristics describe the moon?

• 1/4 the diameter of earth

• rocky satellite

• heavily cratered

• 384, 400 miles from earth

• not atmosphere