Vocab. Section 2 vocab Flashcards
Mars
The forth closest planet to the Sun. It looks red and is mostly made of iron oxide minerals. Has a similar axis tilt to Earth’s and Seasons. -60 degrees C average.
Venus
The second closets to the Sun. Venus’s size is identical to Earth. Has a dense atmosphere and is mostly composed of carbon dioxide.
Mercury
The smallest and closest planet to the sun. Mercury is the fastest revolving around the sun. It is covered in craters. Mercury has a weak gravitational pull and has no atmosphere. 430 degrees C- 170 degrees C.
Earth
The third closest to the Sun. Earth has water which makes life possible on Earth. Average temperature is 15 degrees C. Has a atmosphere.
When was the Solar system formed?
4.6 billion years ago when the nebula collapsed.
What were the 6 things that formed when the Solar system was forming?
Planets, Dwarf planets, asteroids, meteoroids, and comets.
What are the Inner planets made of?
Inner planets have iron cores surrounded by solid rock.
Planets close to the Sun are made of heavier elements, such as iron, silicon, and oxygen.
What is the closest planet to the Sun?
Mercury
What is Mercury’s surface like?
Mercury is full of craters.
Does Mercury have a atmosphere?
No
What is the second closest planet to the Sun?
Venus
Is Venus a terrestrial planet?
Yes, Venus s often referred to as Earth’s sister planet because their sizes and masses are almost identical.
What is Venus’s atmosphere made of?
Venus’s atmosphere is made of mostly carbon dioxide.
What causes Venus to be such a hot planet?
Greenhouse effect, temperatures on the surface of Venus are between 450ºC and 475ºC.
What is the third closest planet to the Sun?
Earth
What makes Earth different from other planets?
- 1 has water
- 2 has life
What Earth’s atmosphere made of?
Earth’s atmosphere is mostly made of 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen.
What has inspired Scientists to search for live on other planets?
Life has been discovered in extreme environments on Earth.
• These environments include vents on the seafloor, acidic hot springs, and ice in dark, cold polar waters.
What is the forth closest planet to the Sun?
Mars
What is Mars’s surface made of?
Mars is a red planet because of iron oxide in some of the weathered rocks.
Mars also has polar ice caps, composed of frozen carbon dioxide and frozen water.
What did the Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, and Mars Pathfinder find out about Mars?
Global Surveyor - Walls of Valles Marineris are similar to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Mars Odyssey - Water frost beneath the soil.
Mars Pathfinder - Mar’s crust has iron that may have been leached out by groundwater.
