What objects are in the Solar System? Chapter 2 - Lesson 2

How are gas giants different from the inner planets?

-->Gas giants are farther from the sun and inner planets are the closest. -->Gas giants have many moons, but inner planets have no more than two moons. -->They do not have surfaces, but inner planets have rocky surfaces -->Most gas giants are bigger than inner planets

Describe inner planets.

-->They all have rocky surfaces and are smaller than most of the outer planets. -->None of them have more than 2 moons.

What are comets?

-->They are balls of rock, ice, and frozen gases.

Describe comets.

-->They are balls of rock, ice, and frozen gases. -->Most are less than 10 kilometers across -->The tails can be as much as 100,000 kilometers long.

Describe asteroids.

-->They are bits of rock and metal. -->Mostly found in the asteroid belts -->Most are less than 1 kilometer across -->The largest being about 1000 kilometers

Describe outer planets.

-->They are huge and mode mostly of gases. -->They all have many moons and are surrounded by rings that are made of dust, ice, or rock. -->They have no known solid surface.

What do asteroids and comets have in common?

-->They both are small bodies in our solar system. -->They both orbit the sun.

Describe dwarf planets.

-->They orbit the sun and they are round. -->They are not clear of other objects.

When was Pluto discovered?

1930

How many planets are in our solar system?

8

What is a solar system?

A group of objects in space that orbit a star in the center, plus the star itself.

What is a planet?

A large object that revolves around a star in a clear orbit.

How do the planets and "dwarf planets" differ?

A planet has a clear orbit, but a dwarf planet does not have a clear orbit.

What is the difference between a planet and a moon?

A planet is larger and it orbits around a star, but a moon is smaller and it orbits a planet.

What is dwarf planet?

A small object that revolves around a star, but its path is not clear of other objects.

What is a moon?

A smaller object that revolves around a planet.

What are the three dwarf planets identified by scientists?

Ceres, Fris, and Pluto

What differences does Earth have from the other inner planets that allow Earth to sustain life as we know it?

Earth has liquid water on it surface and a large amount of oxygen in its atmosphere.

Who are the inner planets?

Earth, Mercury, Venus, and Mars

Pluto was reclassified in what year as what kind of planet?

In 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet.

What is the Great Red Spot, and where is it?

It is a gigantic hurricane like-storm located on Jupiter.

Describe the Pluto orbit.

It is a long oval that is tilted with respect to the planets.

Which outer planet is the largest?

Jupiter

In order, what group of planets are farthest from the sun?

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

What does the water and oxygen help support on Earth?

Life

Which planets in the entire solar system would be easier for us to gather information about? Why?

Mercury, Venus, and Mars because they are inner planets like Earth.

Sometime Pluto's orbit cuts inside the orbit of what planet?

Neptune

Who are the outer planets?

Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, and Uranus

Why can't we land on the surface of the outer planets?

Outer planets do not have a solid surface.

What planet is made of rock and ice?

Pluto

What characteristic of a planet is Pluto missing?

Pluto is missing a clear orbit around the sun.

Which inner planet is the most unusual? Why?

The Earth is because it has liquid water on its surface and a large amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.

In order, what group of planets are closest to the sun?

The inner planet are the closet to the sun and in order they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

How did the inner planets get their name?

The inner planets got there name because they are closer to the sun.

What happens when a comet's orbit brings it close to the sun?

The sun's heat turns some of the frozen matter into gas. That gas and dust that rises with it, then looks like a fiery tail and may be visible from Earth.

How is the outer planets atmosphere?

Their atmospheres blend smoothly into the denser layers of their interiors, which are very deep beneath their outer layers.

What are asteroids?

They are bits of rock and metal.

How do scientists group our planets?

They are grouped as inner or outer planets.

Describe asteroids. How do they look?

They are small and rocky.

What are less than 1 kilometer across?

asteroids

What are made of bits of rocks and metal?

asteroids

What can be found in asteroid belts?

asteroids

Why do we call our system a solar system?

because every object in our solar system orbits the sun

How are the inner and outer planets separated?

by a ring of asteroids that orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter

What are less than 10 kilometers across?

comets

What are made of rock, ice, and frozen gases?

comets

What tails can be as much as 100,000 kilometers long?

comets

What are outer planets often called?

gas giants

Where is ceres located?

in the asteroid belt

Where are Eris and Pluto located?

in the orbit of Neptune in a region that contains many smaller, comet like objects.

What planets are made of gases?

outer planets

What objects do our solar system contain?

planets, dwarf, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.

What planets are closet to the sun?

the inner planets

Which planets have no more than two moons?

the inner planets

Which group of planets have a surface and what kind?

the inner planets and their surface is rocky.

What planets are bigger inner or outer?

the outer planets

What planets are farthest from the sun?

the outer planets

Which planets has many moons?

the outer planets

What star is in the center of our solar system?

the sun

Does our solar system contain a variety of objects?

yes