Science Chapter 2 Planets and Stars Lesson 2 What Objects Are in the Solar System?

m? Vocabulary - page 69 SOLAR SYSTEM A star and all the planets and other objects that revolve around it. PLANET A large body that revolves around a star. COMET A ball of rock, ice, and frozen gases that revolves around the sun.

Our Solar System Page 72 A SOLAR SYSTEM is a group of objects in space that orbit a star in the center, plus the star itself. The sun is the STAR in the center of our solar system. Everything else is smaller than the sun. Our solar system is made up of: 1) Planets 2) Dwarf Planets 3) Moons 4) Asteroids A SOLAR SYSTEM is a large object that revolves around a star in a clear orbit. A DWARF PLANET also revolves around a star, but its path is not clear of other objects. A moon is a smaller object that revolves around a PLANET. ASTEROIDS are small and rocky.

There are 8 planets in our solar system. Scientists group them as inner and outer planets separated by a ring of asteroids that orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter. You can easily remember the order of the planets with this little saying.. My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Noodles. M is Mercury V is Venus E is Earth M is Mars J is Jupiter S is Saturn U is Uranus N is Neptune

MERCURY is about the size of Earths moon and is covered with craters (holes). It is the planet that is closest to the sun. The Inner Planets page 73 These planets are CLOSEST to the sun. They are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. These planets are alike in many ways: 1) They are dense and all have rocky surfaces 2) They are all smaller than most of the outer planets 3) None of them have more than two moons There are also differences among these planets: 1) The temperatures are very DIFFERENT. 2) Earth is the only inner plant that has LIQUID WATER on its surface and a large amount of OXYGEN in its atmosphere. Facts about Mars: Mars is known as the RED planet because it looks fiery red from Earth. It is very SMALL , its diameter is only half of Earths diameter. It has huge dust storms that can last for months

Facts about Venus: It is about the same size as Earth. It is the THIRD -brightest object in Earths sky only the SUN and MOON are brighter. Clouds of sulfuric acid make the planet difficult to study from Earth.

Facts about Earth: It is the largest of the inner planets. The only planet known to have LIFE. Only one whose surface is mostly SURFACE Its distance from the sun helps it maintain a TEMPERATURE to support life. The Outer Planets page 74 On the other side of Mars, is an asteroid belt and then the outer planets. They are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Characteristics of these planets: 1. They are huge and made mostly of GASES 2. They have no known solid SURFACE, which makes it impossible for spaceships to land on them. 3. Their atmospheres blend smoothly into the denser layers of their interiors, very deep beneath the outer layers. For this reason, they are often called the GAS GIANTS. 4. They have many MOONS 5. They are all surrounded by RINGS made of dust, ice, or rock. Facts about Jupiter: The LARGEST planet in the solar system Has a diameter that is more than 11 times the diameter of Earth Has at least 63 moons A gigantic hurricane-like storm called the Great Red Spot has raged on Jupiter for over 300 years.

Facts about Saturn: It has RINGS that are visible from Earth through a telescope. Has at least 31 moons. Its atmosphere is mostly HYDROGEN and HELIUM. Has no known solid surface. Facts about Uranus Rotates on its SIDE as it orbits the sun. Scientists think this may be the result of a collision with an object the size of Earth. Has at least 27 moons.

Facts about Neptune: Its atmosphere is mainly hydrogen and helium. One of the WINDIEST places in the solar system. Has at least 13 moons. On any planet, a YEAR is the length of time it takes that planet to orbit the sun. Look at the table below to see the difference in the length of years on the various planets based on Earth years (365 days): Planet Mars Jupiter Saturn Neptune What About Pluto? page 76 Pluto was discovered in 1930. What makes Pluto different from other planets? 1) It is very SMALL 2) It is made of ROCK and ice instead of gases like other planets. 3) Its orbit is a long oval that is tilted with respect to the planets. 4) Its orbit sometimes cuts inside the orbit of Neptune Length of Year 1.9 11.9 29.5 165

Because of the four reasons mentioned above, in 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a DWARF PLANET. A dwarf planet orbits the sun and is round, but its orbit is not clear of other objects. As a result, dwarf planets are found among groups of smaller bodies. Scientists have identified 3 dwarf planets: 1) Ceres 2) Eris 3) Pluto Scientists think there are hundreds of dwarf planets in our solar system.

Small Solar System Bodies page 77 Two of the small bodies in the solar system are: 1) ASTEROIDS 2) COMETS They both orbit the sun, but they are different from each other.

Characteristics of Asteroids: 1) Asteroids are bits of rock and metal. 2) Most are found in the asteroid belt that separates the inner planets from the outer planets. 3) Most are less than .6 mi across 4) The largest body in the asteroid belt has a diameter of 620 mi. Characteristics of Comets: 1) A ball of rock, ice, and frozen gases. 2) When its orbit brings it close to the sun, the suns heat may turn some of the frozen matter into gas. At this point, it becomes visible to be seen from Earth.

3) The gas plus the dust that rises with it looks like a fiery tail and can be visible from Earth. 4) Most are less than 6 miles across, but the tails can be as much as 62,000 miles long. Some comets, like Halleys Comet, become well known because their orbits bring them close to EARTH. (As a comets orbit brings it close to the sun, the sune heat may turn some of the frozen matter into gas. That plus dust makes it look like it has a fiery tail and may be visible from Earth.) Technology that scientists use are: telescopes, satellites, and space probes to explore space. CRCT Practice: 1. What separates the inner planets from the outer planets? A. Venus B. comets C. Earth D. asteroid belt 2. What makes Earth different from other planets in the solar system? A. It is very rocky B. It has liquid water C. It has the most moons D. It has an atmosphere