Unit 2 comparison of planets and moons

Question 1

terrestrial planets

Answer 1

mercury, venus, mars, earth

Question 2

jovian planets

Answer 2

jupiter, saturn, neptune, uranus

Question 3

largest mass

Answer 3

jupiter

Question 4

smallest mass

Answer 4

mercury

Question 5

roundest orbit

Answer 5

venus

Question 6

most eccentric orbit

Answer 6

mercury

Question 7

most dense

Answer 7

earth

Question 8

least dense

Answer 8

saturn

Question 9

coldest surface temp

Answer 9

neptune

Question 10

hottest surface temp

Answer 10

venus

Question 11

most moons

Answer 11

jupiter

Question 12

least moons

Answer 12

mercury and venus

Question 13

fastest rotation

Answer 13

jupiter

Question 14

slowest rotation

Answer 14

venus (retrograde)

Question 15

the solar system is mostly -

Answer 15

space

Question 16

characteristics of terrestrial planets

Answer 16

• smaller
• less massive
• more dense
• rocky, with hard surfaces

Question 17

characteristics of jovian planets

Answer 17

• larger
• more massive
• less dense
• gas surfaces

Question 18

main composition of terrestrial planets

Answer 18

mostly heavier elements
-iron, nickel, silicon, magnesium, sulfur, but oxygen too

elements that condense to “dust” at hotter temperatures

Question 19

main composition of jovian planets

Answer 19

mainly lighter elements
- hydrogen, helium, ammonia, methane, and water (with terrestrial like cores)
(Ammonia, methane and water b/c that is a chemical form of nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen)

elements that condense to “ice” only at cold temperatures

Question 20

What do the chemical and size differences between the planets indicate?

Answer 20

chemical difference- temperature where they formed
size - relative abundances of these elements in the universe
(75% H, 23% He, 2% else)

Question 21

7 largest moons:

*which ones are bigger than mercury

Answer 21

Earth: moon
Jupiter: io, europa, ganymede, callisto
Saturn: titan
Neptune: triton

• Ganymede and titan