This document summarizes key facts about the planets and dwarf planets in our solar system. It discusses the inner planets Mercury, Venus, and Earth, providing details about their atmospheres, rotations, and formations. It then covers the outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, noting attributes like their compositions and moons. Finally, it examines the dwarf planets Pluto, Ceres, Eris, and characteristics such as their orbits and satellites. Bibliographic sources are included at the end.
3. What causes Mercury’s atmosphere? Ans: Mercury doesn’t have substantial atmosphere. The scientists have found a magnetic field surrounding Mercury. Scientists think that field is made because of an iron-bearing core or solar winds. What two elements can be found in the atmosphere? Ans: The 2 elements found in atmosphere is sodium and helium. What three processes shaped Mercury? Ans: The three processes are impact cratering, volcanism, and tectonic activity. Mercury
4. Venus Why is Venus referred to as the “Evening Star”? Ans: Because it is nearer to the sun than the earth, so they can never appear very far from the sun in the sky. when the sun sets in the evening they might be in the west, near the sun as an evening star. What two elements can be found in the atmosphere? Ans: They are carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid. What is retrograde rotation? Ans: It means rotating slowly on its axis in clockwise direction Why is a day on Venus longer than a year on Venus? Ans: The reason is because Venus is the only planet that rotates in a clockwise direction. The time Venus takes to complete a rotation is 243 Earth days and to complete revolution takes 225 Earth days. Which is why in Venus, a day is longer than a year. If you were standing on Venus, why would the Sun appear to rise in the west and set in the east? Ans: It is because Venus rotate in clockwise direction. Why is Venus the hottest planet in our solar system? Ans: It is because the Venus has a really thick atmosphere and the pressure on the planet’s surface is about 90 times of a Earth surface. The carbon dioxide rich atmosphere starts a strong greenhouse effect that raise the surface temperature to over 400 Degree Celsius.
5. Earth What elements make up our atmosphere? Ans: The oxygen, nitrogen, argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide, neon, methane, krypton, helium, xenon, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone. What two things does our atmosphere protect us from? Ands: They help to absorb harmful solar radiation before it can reach the surface of Earth because if they becomes large, they are poisonous. They also protect us from the meteors. What is the rotational tilt of the Earth? Ans: It is 23.5 degree angle. What produces the magnetic field on earth? Ans: The rapid spin of the Earth along with the liquid, hot metallic core causes a magnetic field to surround the Earth. What is the satellite of the Earth? Ans: The moon
6. What evidence do scientists have to life on Mars? Ans: Some meteorites of Mars found on Earth is studied by the scientists for evidence of tiny ancient bacteria and other signs that life may have existed on Mars. What is the primary element of the atmosphere? Ans: The carbon dioxide. Why does the planet appear to be red? Ans: The surface is covered by rocks and soil which is rich in iron-laden clay. Because of the iron, the planet appears to be red. What is Olympus Mons? Ans: Olympus Mons means one of the largest volcano in the solar system. What are the two satellites of Mars? Ans: They are phobos and deimos. Mars
8. Jupiter How is the shape of Jupiter affected by the planets rotation? Ans: The shape cause planet to flatten at the poles and bulge at the equator. What elements make up Jupiter’s atmosphere? Ans: They are hydrogen, helium, sulfur, and nitrogen What is the Giant Red Spot? Ans: The Giant Red Spot is a hurricane-like storm that has been seen in Jupiter's southern hemisphere since Jupiter was first discovered. How many know natural satellites does Jupiter have? Ans: It has 63 natural satellites. What is interesting about Jupiter’s satellite Io? Ans: Io is volcanically active.
9. Saturn What elements make up Saturn’s atmosphere? Ans: The hydrogen and helium. What may have caused Saturn to have rings? Ans: The thousand individual rings which contains water ice and dust are the composition of the rings. What is the composition of the rings? Ans: The rings are composed of ice and dust particles which astronomers believe resulted from the break-up of satellites that came too close to Saturn. Why could Saturn float in water? Ans: Because the Saturn has the lowest density in the solar system and if the density is low, the planet would float on the water. How long do the seasons last on Saturn? Ans: It last more than seven Earth years
10. Uranus What is different about Uranus’s rotation? Ans: The Uranus is different because it is tilted 98 degrees and from Earth it appears to be rotating on it’s side. What elements make up Uranus’s atmosphere? Ans: The hydrogen, helium and methane. How many known satellites does Uranus have? Ans: It has 27 know natural satellites.
11. What elements make up Neptune’s atmosphere? Ans: The ammonia, helium and methane. How many known satellites does Neptune have? Ans: The Neptune has 13 known satellites. What is Triton? Explain how astronomers believe Triton became a satellite. Ans: Triton is a largest satellite of the Neptune. The astronomers believe that Triton was not actually a satellite of the Neptune, they think it was captured by Neptune’s gravitational pull, forcing it into an orbit around the planet. Neptune
13. Pluto What are the names of Pluto’s three moons? Ans: They are Charon, Nix and Hydra. What have scientists learned about Pluto by using a spectroscope? Ans: They have learnt that there are methane frost on the Pluto and water frost on Charon. What is so unusual about Pluto’s moon Charon? Ans: The Charon is unusually large for a moon.
14. Ceres How long is one revolution? Ans: It is approximately 4.6 Earth years for Ceres to make one revolution around the Sun. Why was Ceres once considered an asteroid? Ans: Because Sir William Herschel labeld Ceres as an asteroid, not a planet. But it was known as the largest know asteroid in the asteroid belt. But in 2006, the International Astronomical Union formed a new class called the “Dwarf Planet”. The definition of it is spherical and travels in an orbit around the Sun and Ceres fit it perfectly. What can be found on Ceres’ surface? Ans: The mixture of water ice, carbonates, and clays are found on the Ceres’ surface.
15. What was Eris’ original name? Ans: It was “Xena”. How long does it take Eris to orbit the sun? Ans: It takes 557 Earth years for Eris to make one orbit around the Sun. What is the name of Eris’ moon? Ans: It is called “Dysnomia”. Why is Eris not considered to be a planet? Ans: The reason is because i Under the newly recognized official definition of a planet, Eris did not meet the requirement that a planet must clear out its orbit. Eris
