mli q u i d h yd ro g e n a n d h e li u m

n sm a ll ro c k y ce n te r
o ra d i i :
J u p i te r = 1 1 ra d i u s o f E a rth
S a tu rn = 9 ra d i u s o f E a rth
f li g h t sh e ll
g d e n se co re
h li g h t sh e ll
i d e n se co re
1Birth of the solar system
a
b
c
d
h
k
l
e
i
3 Inner planets
Mercury
Uranus and
Neptune
j
j d i a m e te r = 2 o r 3 th a t o f th e E a rth
k so li d wa te r, m e th a n e , a n d a m m o n i a
l li q u i d wa te r, m e th a n e , a n d a m m o n i a
a h yd ro g e n a n d h e li u m
b h e a v i e r e le m e n ts
c li g h te r e le m e n ts
d d e n se r i n n e r p la n e ts
e le ss d e n se o u te r p la n e ts
J upiter and
Saturn
m
n
o
Mars
4 Outer planets
g f
2 Formation of the inner
and outer planets
The solar system AT O M I C ST RUCT URE
1Birth of the solar system
G The solar system i sthought to have
formed about 4.6 bi lli on yearsago asa
result of nuclear fission i n the Sun.
G A nebula ( cloud) of gasesand dust
that resulted from the explosi on.
flattened i nto a di sk wi th a hi gh
concentrati on of matter at the center.
2 Formation of the inner
and outer planets
G Near the Sun, where the temperature
washi gh, volati le substancescould not
condense, so the i nner planets
( Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) are
domi nated by rock and metal. They
are smaller and more dense than those
farther from the Sun.
G I n the colder, outer areasof the di sk,
substancesli ke ammonia and
methanecondensed, whi le hydrogen
and heliumremai ned gaseous. I n thi s
regi on, the planetsformed ( Jupi ter,
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) were
gasgi ants.
3 Inner planets
G I nner planetsconsi st of a li ght shell
surroundi ng a dense core of metalli c
elements.
G Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun,
hasa proporti onately larger core than
Mars, the i nner planet farthest from
the Sun.
4 Outer planets
G The outer planetshave low densi ti es
and are composed pri mari ly of
hydrogen and heli um.
G The outer planetsare huge i n
compari son to the i nner planets.
G Jupi ter and Saturn, the largest of the
gasgi ants, contai n the greatest
percentagesof hydrogen and heli um;
the smaller Uranusand Neptune
contai n larger fracti onsof water,
ammoni a, and methane.
ammonia
fission
helium
hydrogen
methane
Key words
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