Lesson 3: The Terrestrial Planets Flashcards
Fill in the blank. ______ is the closest planet to the Sun.
Mercury
What is the list of planets it our solar system in the order of increasing distance from the Sun?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
As it refers to planets in our solar system, what definition best fits the term Terrestrial?
Earth-like
Because Jupiter is a large gaseous planet, we classify it as which of the main two types of planets?
Jovian
What are the two types of planets?
Terrestrial and Jovian
A ______ eclipse is when the Moon’s shadow passes across the Earth’s surface; the Moon is directly in between the Earth and the Sun.
Solar
True or False: “new moon” is when we see a fully lit side of the moon.
False
All of the following are distinctive properties of Earth (when compared to the other Terrestrial planets) except:
1) a strong magnetic field
2) large amounts of accessible liquid water
3) low relative levels of atmospheric CO2
4) high composition density
4) high composition density
A _____ eclipse is when the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow.
Lunar
Which of the following planets has the highest average surface temperature?
1) Jupiter
2) Venus
3) Mars
4) Mercury
2) Venus
What planet has the hottest surface temperature?
Venus
The greenhouse effect dominates which planet?
Venus
What is not a way in which the Terrestrial and Jovian planets differ?
The Jovian planets have a higher temperature than Terrestrial planets do.
Which planet has an atmosphere of mostly nitrogen?
Earth
During a lunar eclipse, the Moon is located between Earth and the Sun.
False
A moon that is full will appear at it’s highest point in the sky at what time of the night or day?
Midnight
True or False: a planet that spins very rapidly would probably be Terrestrial.
False
True or False: the majority if the planets in out solar system have moons.
True
What are the two types of planets?
Terrestrial and Jovian
WHAT HAPPENED TO WATER ON VENUS?
It evaporated and was lost to space.
Which planet closely resembles our moon?
Mercury
HOW MUCH DO THE SIZES OF EARTH, VENUS, AND MARS COMPARE?
Earth is slightly larger than Venus and much larger than Mars.
True or False: a planet located 9 AU from the Sun would probably be Jovian.
True
What protects Earth from harmful radiation from the Sun?
Our strong magnetic field.
When is Mercury most visible in the night sky?
At most, two hours before sunrise or after sunset.
What happened to water on Mars?
It is frozen in the soil.
True or False: the atmosphere of Mars is composed primarily of nitrogen.
False
True or False: both moons of Mars are most likely captured objects.
True
Crescent Moon
A thin sliver of the Moon is visible.
Full Moon
Earth is between the Moon and the Sun.
Last Quarter
This phase occurs halfway between full and new moon.
Gibbous Moon
Most, but not all, of the Moon’s face is illuminated.
New Moon
The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun.
