Solar System Webquest

The Planets

General Information

1. Define revolve: The circling of a smaller object around a larger object.

2. Define rotate: The spinning of an object on its axis.

3. How many planets have been found in our solar system? 13

4. Which planets are the inner planets?Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

6. Which planets are the outer planets?Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

8. What is the difference between the inner and outer planets?Inner planets are mostly rock, where outer planets are mostly gas spheres with

rings.They are separated by the Asteroid Belt.

9. Why are more craters found on the inner planets compared to the outer planets?

The inner planets are often hit by asteroid in their first 600 million years

10. Define orbit:

A specific path followed by a planet, satellite.

11. What are three requirements to be considered a planet?

To be a planet, it must orbit the sun, become a sphere by gravity, and clear its orbit path by itself.

12. What is a dwarf planet?

Dwarf planets are circular and orbit the sun, but it hasn’t cleared its path.

13. List the three dwarf planets.

Pluto, Eris, Ceres

General Information

The Inner Planets

MERCURY1. What causes Mercury’s atmosphere?

It is small and it’s close to the sun

2. What two elements can be found in the atmosphere?

Helium and sodium

3. What three processes shaped Mercury?

The tectonic plate movements, meteorites impact, and volcanic eruptions shape mercury

1. Why is Venus referred to as the “Evening Star”?It is the brightest planet seen on Earth

2. What two elements can be found in the atmosphere?Carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid

3. What is retrograde rotation?The direction of rotation is opposite of other planets

4. Why is a day on Venus longer than a year on Venus?Its rotation is slower than its orbit, rotation is 243 and orbit is 225

5. If you were standing on Venus, why would the Sun appear to rise in the west and set in the east?

Its rotation is opposite of Earth

6. Why is Venus the hottest planet in our solar system?The atmosphere traps heat

VENUS

1. What elements make up our atmosphere?oxygen, nitrogen, argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide,

neon, methane, krypton, helium, xenon, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone.

2. What two things does our atmosphere protect us from?Meteors and solar radiation

3. What is the rotational tilt of the Earth?23.5 degrees

4. What produces the magnetic field on earth?The rotation of Earth and liquid core

5. What is the satellite of the Earth?The Moon

EARTH

1. What evidence do scientists have to life on Mars?The meteorites from mars contain bacterias

2. What is the primary element of the atmosphere?Carbon Dioxide

3. Why does the planet appear to be red?Its soil contains iron

4. What is Olympus Mons?The highest mountain in the solar system which is on Mars

5. What are the two satellites of Mars?Phobos and Deimos

MARS

The Outer Planets

1. How is the shape of Jupiter affected by the planets rotation?

2. The speed of the rotation caused the planet to bulge outward at its equator more than usual.

3. What elements make up Jupiter’s atmosphere?Hydrogen, helium, sulfur, and nitrogen

4. What is the Giant Red Spot?A hurricane-like storm on Jupiter’s south hemisphere.

5. How many know natural satellites does Jupiter have?50

6. What is interesting about Jupiter’s satellite Io?Io has volcanic activity and caused its temperature to be

higher than any planet in the solar system.

Jupiter

1. What elements make up Saturn’s atmosphere?Hydrogen and helium

2. What may have caused Saturn to have rings?It may be caused by the destruction of a satellite

near the planet.

3. What is the composition of the rings?Water, ice, and dust

4. Why could Saturn float in water? Its density is very low

5. How long do the seasons last on Saturn?Seven years

Saturn

1. What is different about Uranus’s rotation?

Uranus is tilted 98 degrees

2. What elements make up Uranus’s atmosphere?

Hydrogen, helium, and methane

3. How many known satellites does Uranus have?

27

Uranus

1. What elements make up Neptune’s atmosphere?

Ammonia, helium, and methane

2. How many known satellites does Uranus have?

13

3. What is Triton? Explain how astronomers believe Triton became a satellite.

Triton is the largest known satellite of Neptune, scientists believed that Triton was attracted by the gravitational pull of Neptune.

Neptune

Dwarf Planets

1. What are the names of Pluto’s three moons?

Charon, Nix, and Hydra

2. What have scientists learned about Pluto by using a spectroscope?

They found methane ice on Pluto and water ice on Charon

3. What is so unusual about Pluto’s moon Charon?

Pluto shares an atmosphere with Charon

Pluto

1. How long is one revolution?

4.6 earth years

2. Why was Ceres once considered an asteroid?

It is located between Mars and Jupiter, where the asteroid belt is.

3. What can be found on Ceres’ surface?

You can find water ice, carbonates, and clay on Ceres

Ceres

1. What was Eris’ original name?

Xena

2. How long does it take Eris to orbit the sun?

557 years

3. What is the name of Eris’ moon?

Dysnomia

4. Why is Eris not considered to be a planet?

It does not clear its orbit path

 

Eris

Thank these sites for pictures http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJke7uTXRORxcAlnWJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DThe%2BInner%2B

Planets%26n%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=500&h=375&imgurl=pdfcast.org%2Fdata%2Fscreenshot%2FThe-Inner-Planets-Presentation-Transcript-1620.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpdfcast.org%2Fpdf%2Fthe-inner-planets&size=54.5+KB&name=The+Inner+Planets+-+PDFCast.org&p=The+Inner+Planets&oid=8693878ba0a4d1b7b7a3b2798376f0d1&fr2=&fr=&tt=The+Inner+Planets+-+PDFCast.org&b=1&ni=30&no=7&tab=organic&sigr=118u2gg05&sigb=13e016dk5&sigi=12e4cdk58&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkIfXTHRO82QA7oSJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dthe%2Bplanets%2

6ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=517&h=644&imgurl=www.spomonie.com%2Fmrp%2Fvoyage%2Fsolar-system-01.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spomonie.com%2Fmrp%2Fvoyage%2F&size=24.6+KB&name=Voyage+to+the+Planets+-+Title+Page&p=the+planets&oid=670be51507a76f869343ae273bb62f86&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=Voyage+to+the+Planets+-+Title+Page&b=0&ni=30&no=16&tab=organic&sigr=1137b16n7&sigb=1303bikdp&sigi=11fns1ojt&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJket3T3ROB3QApoSJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dmercury%26n%3

D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=800&h=800&imgurl=twittface.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F02%2Fsolar-mercury2.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Ftwittface.net%2Fbeautiful-universe%2Fmercury&size=96.7+KB&name=TwitFace+|+Beautiful+Planet+Mercury&p=mercury&oid=208f2d764092fd5b908f35156f250fd4&fr2=&fr=&tt=TwitFace+|+Beautiful+Planet+Mercury&b=0&ni=30&no=0&tab=organic&sigr=11faiml3i&sigb=134a2eoh6&sigi=11r0l57g0&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJke3XUHRO5zoAdJGJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dvenus%26n%3D3

0%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=1024&h=1024&imgurl=www.universetoday.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F01%2FVenus-Unveiled.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.universetoday.com%2F14069%2Fvenus%2F&size=146.2+KB&name=Venus&p=venus&oid=bd47382c9dcdd8226449459d74803520&fr2=&fr=&tt=Venus&b=0&ni=30&no=4&tab=organic&sigr=119ire71m&sigb=132554a37&sigi=123eerhdp&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkIeWUnRO4XEAbEeJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dearth%26n%3D3

0%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=1050&h=1050&imgurl=questional.com%2Fimages%2Fuploads%2F17%2FThe-Earth-in-space.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fquestional.com%2F3620-much-earth-weigh%2F&size=423+KB&name=How+much+does+Earth+weigh%3F&p=earth&oid=ff49ebdbe98c8e160a21871ba79ea957&fr2=&fr=&tt=How+much+does+Earth+weigh%3F&b=0&ni=30&no=17&tab=organic&sigr=11crbe5ci&sigb=132racrmt&sigi=11n5c3m7k&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkK73VHRO9wkAHGuJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dmars%26n%3D

30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D61%26tab%3Dorganic&w=436&h=437&imgurl=whoyoucallingaskeptic.files.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fmars.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwhoyoucallingaskeptic.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F07%2Fface-on-mars-1976%2F&size=9.5+KB&name=Face+on+Mars+%C2%AB+Who+You+Calling+a+Skeptic%3F&p=mars&oid=69fcef1cd4b0125a30080d8cc7f78bd2&fr2=&fr=&tt=Face+on+Mars+%C2%AB+Who+You+Calling+a+Skeptic%3F&b=61&ni=30&no=81&tab=organic&sigr=128865pbr&sigb=132nd123c&sigi=11q73iaft&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkIWnV3RO5XMAQVqJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DThe%2BOuter%

2BPlanets%26n%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=450&h=378&imgurl=warrensburg.k12.mo.us%2Fiadventure%2F2310fall09%2Fknelson%2FOuterPlanets1.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwarrensburg.k12.mo.us%2Fiadventure%2F2310fall09%2Fknelson%2Fouter.html&size=55.6+KB&name=The+Outer+Planets&p=The+Outer+Planets&oid=c0971d6e68bec483b3efa41637f2fda3&fr2=&fr=&tt=The+Outer+Planets&b=0&ni=30&no=10&tab=organic&sigr=1251ldkcs&sigb=13e18nhcn&sigi=125q71air&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkK5_VnROvAUALaSJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Djupiter%26n%3D

30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=895&h=848&imgurl=www.spacestationinfo.com%2Fimages%2Fexp-jupiter.gif&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spacestationinfo.com%2Fjupiter-exploration.htm&size=400+KB&name=Jupiter+Exploration%2C+Exploration+of+Jupiter%2C+Exploration+on+Jupiter+...&p=jupiter&oid=d9194e54d5d1dc838a8cf26f5c20040e&fr2=&fr=&tt=Jupiter+Exploration%2C+Exploration+of+Jupiter%2C+Exploration+on+Jupiter+...&b=0&ni=30&no=23&tab=organic&sigr=11n673jtl&sigb=1340vli8j&sigi=11fnhdl8p&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkK4bWHROvAUAr7WJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DSaturn%26n%3

D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=820&h=573&imgurl=nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov%2Fplanetary%2Fimage%2Fsaturn_voy2.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fnssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov%2Fplanetary%2Ffactsheet%2Fsaturnfact.html&size=45.6+KB&name=Voyager+2+image+of+Saturn%5D&p=Saturn&oid=37ab4636b8ec6ab15ae80bb41394cf8e&fr2=&fr=&tt=Voyager+2+image+of+Saturn%5D&b=0&ni=30&no=2&tab=organic&sigr=11ume5bnn&sigb=133ga76d2&sigi=11job5v2b&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJke2cW3RONy8AxjyJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Duranus%26n%3D3

0%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=1724&h=1699&imgurl=akosmicmind.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2Furanus.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fakosmicmind.wordpress.com%2Ftag%2Furanus%2F&size=112.1+KB&name=uranus+%C2%AB+aKosmic+Mind&p=uranus&oid=9ce90cbda0ae2d29e571d37b647e7a77&fr2=&fr=&tt=uranus+%C2%AB+aKosmic+Mind&b=0&ni=30&no=5&tab=organic&sigr=11co65i25&sigb=133jif3v6&sigi=11i89a2ov&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkevQWnROyXYAcxKJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dneptune%26n%3

D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=1313&h=1311&imgurl=www.universetoday.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F06%2FNeptune.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.universetoday.com%2F21581%2Fneptune%2F&size=868.5+KB&name=Neptune&p=neptune&oid=6b9e45fbbfec11896c75aa326a73a39a&fr2=&fr=&tt=Neptune&b=0&ni=30&no=0&tab=organic&sigr=11befv6dl&sigb=134c5ebsv&sigi=11skhs4eu&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkesHbXRO1koAvRGJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Ddisney%2Bdwarf

%26n%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=429&h=411&imgurl=disney-clipart.com%2Fsnow-white%2Fjpg%2FDwarfs%2FGrumpy.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdisney-clipart.com%2Fsnow-white%2FGrumpy.php&size=97.8+KB&name=Disney%26%2339%3Bs+Snow+White+Dwarf+Grumpy+Character+Clipart+Picture+Image&p=disney+dwarf&oid=19a84551004ed7391b001a546322ff1c&fr2=&fr=&tt=Disney%26%2339%3Bs+Snow+White+Dwarf+Grumpy+Character+Clipart+Picture+Image&b=0&ni=30&no=14&tab=organic&sigr=11fg4deu9&sigb=132i90546&sigi=11jbt608u&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

  http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkIaUcHROTkoA44uJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dpluto%26n

%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26b%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic&w=1000&h=1000&imgurl=i432.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fqq43%2Flynch22156%2FPluto.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.profilekiss.com%2Fpicture%2Fcode-107%2Fpluto.html&size=45.4+KB&name=Pluto+Image+-+Pluto+Picture%2C+Graphic%2C+%26amp%3B+Photo&p=pluto&oid=ed26dc56768e7cf7065d55470e6cdb12&fr2=&fr=&tt=Pluto+Image+-+Pluto+Picture%2C+Graphic%2C+%26amp%3B+Photo&b=0&ni=30&no=0&tab=organic&sigr=11mg0r8ts&sigb=132god4fd&sigi=11l818s6k&.crumb=D9JVPTNXgsM

Special Thanks To:

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/planets.html