The Solar System

A Fifth Grade Science

 Introduction
• A solar system consists of a star and
objects that revolve around it.
• Our Solar System consists of the Sun
and nine known planets and the moons
that orbit those planets.
• The force of gravity keeps planets in
orbit around the sun.
 The Sun
• It is over one million times larger
than Earth.
• It is eight light minutes away from
Earth or 92,957,000 miles.
• The temperature is 15 million degrees
K. One K = 13-25 million degrees!
 The Nine Known Planets

The Inner Planets The Outer Planets

• Mercury • Jupiter
• Venus • Saturn
• Earth • Uranus
• Mars • Neptune
• Pluto
 Mercury
• Closest planet to the
sun
• Approximately half
the size of Earth
• Rocky surface covered
by craters
• No water or air results
in unchanged
appearance
• Surface temperatures
are hot enough to melt
lead
Uranus
• Seventh planet
from the Sun
• Four times larger in
diameter than the
Earth
• Blue-green in color
• The tilt of the axis
causes sunlight for
42 years at a time
 Venus
• Second planet from
the Sun
• Approximately the
same size as the
Earth
• Atmosphere
consists of
poisonous gases
 Earth
• Third planet from
the Sun
• Largest of the four
inner planets
• Only planet where
life is known to
exist
• 70% of the surface
is covered by water
 Mars
• Fourth planet from
the Sun
• Approximately half
the size of Earth
• Known as the Red
Planet
• Has four seasons
similar to Earth
• Resembles Earth more
than any other planet
Jupiter
• Fifth planet form
the Sun
• Largest planet in
our Solar System
• 1300 Earths could
fit inside Jupiter
• Doesn’t have a
surface; made of
gases
Saturn
• Sixth planet from
the Sun
• Second largest
planet
• 800 Earths could
fit inside Saturn
• Thousands of rings
are made up of ice
and rock fragments
Neptune
• Eighth planet form
the Sun
• Four times larger in
diameter than the
Earth
• Blue in color
Pluto
• Ninth planet from
the Sun
• Smallest of the
planets
• Coldest planet
• Unusual orbit
caused it to be the
8th planet from
1979 - 1999!
Let’s compare the
planets to Earth
A day on :

Mercury = 3 Earth months

Venus = 117 Earth days
Mars = 41 minutes longer than
an Earth day
Jupiter = 10 Earth hours
Saturn = 10 ½ Earth hours
Uranus = 13 ½ Earth hours
Neptune = 18 Earth hours
Pluto = 7 Earth days
If you weigh 85 lbs. On Earth,
you weigh:
• 32 lbs on Mercury
• 77 lbs on Venus
• 32 lbs on Mars
• 244 lbs on Jupiter
• 112 lbs on Saturn
• 79 lbs on Uranus
• 105 lbs on Neptune
• 2.5 lbs on Pluto
The Orbital Speed of the Planets
• Mercury = 30 miles per second
• Venus = 22 miles per second
• Earth = 19 miles per second
• Mars = 15 miles per second
• Jupiter = 8 miles per second
• Saturn = 6 miles per second
• Uranus = 4.2 miles per second
• Neptune = 3.3 miles per second
• Pluto = 2.9 miles per second
Therefore, the further away from the Sun, the
slower the orbital speed.
 The Earth has one Moon.
How many moons do the other planets have?

• Mercury - 0
• Venus - 0
• Mars - 2
• Jupiter - 17
• Saturn - 22
• Uranus - 15
• Neptune - 2
• Pluto - 1
• The Moon
 It takes 365 days for Earth to revolve
around the Sun.
How long does it take the other planets?

• Mercury - 88 Earth days

• Venus - 225 Earth days
• Mars - about 2 Earth years
• Jupiter - 11.8 Earth years
• Saturn - 30 Earth years
• Uranus - 84 Earth years
• Neptune - 165 Earth years
• Pluto - 248 Earth years