EQ- What are the similarities and differences between
the 8 planets.
The Planets:
 Mercury
 My
 Venus
 Very
 Earth
 Educated
 Mars
 Jupiter
 Mother
 Saturn
 Just
 Uranus
 Sent
 Neptune
 Us
 Noodles
Mercury
Jupiter
Venus
Saturn
Earth
Uranus
Mars
Neptune
Inner Planets:
 Small
 Rocky surfaces
 Mercury, Venus, Earth,
Mars
Mercury
 Only inner planet that
DOES NOT show
evidence of volcanic
activity
 Smallest terrestrial
planet
Venus
 Known as the “morning




star” and “evening star”
Earth’s twin due to size and
density
Retrograde rotation
meaning that it rotates
opposite of Earth
Pressure is 90 times greater
than on Earth
Atmosphere traps heat
from the sun causing a
“greenhouse effect”
Earth vs. Venus
Similarities
Size
Differences
Venus rotates very slowly from east to west; Earth
rotates more quickly from west to east
Density
Venus has a thick atmosphere that is mostly
carbon dioxide; Earth’s atmosphere is mostly
nitrogen and carbon dioxide
Internal structure
Venus is much hotter than Earth; Earth has liquid
water on most of its surface
Mars
 May have had conditions
needed to support life
because there is evidence
that liquid water was once
present
 Spirit and Opportunity
rovers found clear geologic
evidence of ancient
streams, lakes, or floods
 Ice is present at the polar
ice caps
 Large amount of water
exists as a gas in the
atmosphere
 Because the atmosphere is
too thin, water cannot exist
as a liquid
 Atmosphere is mostly
carbon dioxide
Asteroid Belt
 Located between Mars
and Jupiter
 Too small to be
considered planets
Outer Planets:
 “Gas Giants”
 Composed mainly of hydrogen and helium
 Atmospheres of the gas giants cannot escape into
space because they have very strong gravitational
pulls
 Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Jupiter
 Largest and most
massive planet
 “Great Red Spot” is a
huge storm
Saturn
 Rings are mostly made
up of chunks of ice and
rock
 Only planet that has a
lower density than water
Uranus
 Different from most
other planets because it
rotates on its side
Neptune
 Astronomers predicted
the existence and orbit of
Neptune based on
Neptune’s gravitational
effect on the orbit of
Uranus
 Very similar in size and
color to Uranus
Exit pass
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4.
5.
6.
What do all inner planets have in common?
The atmosphere of a gas giant planet cannot escape
because…
How did astronomers find Neptune?
Some people think Mars could at one time support
life because…
What inner planet doesn’t show signs of volcanic
activity?
Which planet is the most massive?