CHAPTER 12

SOLAR SYSTEM

SOLAR
SYSTEM
 12.1 SOLAR SYSTEM
Our Solar system consist of:
THE SUN
 The largest object in our Solar System
 is the centre of the Solar System
because all planets revolve/rotate
around it.
 Generates solar energy through
thermonuclear reactions in its core
 COMETS

A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when

passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release
gases. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma,
and sometimes also a tail
 ASTEROID

A large rocky body in space, in orbit around the Sun

 METEOROID

-Much smaller rocks or particles in orbit around

the Sun. 
-If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere
and vaporizes, it becomes a meteor, which is
often called a shooting star
-Most meteoroids are about the size of a pebble
PLANETS
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
Complete up the bubble map below:

The Sun
(Star)

_________ ________
OUR
SOLAR
SYSTEM

Asteroid Meteoroid
PLANETS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Comparison of Planet Distances in the
Solar System from the Sun
Definition of astronomical unit. For general reference, we can
say that one astronomical unit (AU) represents the mean
distance between the Earth and our sun. An AU is approximately
93 million miles (150 million km)
 Astronomical Unit (A.U)
Average distance between the Earth
and the Sun
1 A.U = 150 million km
= 1.5 x 108 km
______________________________
Light Years (ly)
Distance travelled by light in one
year
1 light year = 9.5 x 1012 km
 Converting Units between
Astronomical Unit,Light Years and Kilometres

 To convert units between Astronomical Unit

(A.U) and km :
Distance in A.U = Distance in km
1.5 x 108 km

 To convert units between light years( ly) and

km :
Distance in ly = Distance in km
9.5 x 1012 km
 Calculate the distance between the planets and the Sun in
A.U and ly

Example 1 :
(a) 0.39 AU = …………………..ly

Solution:
Distance from Sun in ly= 5.79 x 107 km
9.5 x 1012 km

= 6.09 x 10-6 km
 Example 2 :
• Given that the distance of Planet Mars
from Sun in km is 2.28x 108 km. Find
the distance from Sun in A.U.
Solution:
Distance in A.U = 2.28x 108 km
1.5 x 108 km
= 1.52 A.U
LET’S DO EXERCISE !
Activity 12.1

Refer page 253 ( textbook)

Find out the distance
ANSWERS
PLANETS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
 Can be summarised using tree map as follows :
Dwarf planets
 In 2006, the International Astronomical Union
(IAU) classified dwarf planets as non-satellite
spherical celestial bodies that revolve around
the Sun in their own orbits and have
sufficient mass and gravity.
 Ceres, Pluto, Iris , Haumea and Makemake are

dwarf planets that orbit our Sun.

1.RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEMPERATURE
OF A PLANET AND THE SUN

Theoretically the closer a

planet with the Sun, the higher
the surface temperature

However there are other

factors that affect the surface
temperature of a planet .
 Planet with no atmosphere

Planets like Mercury which do not

have an atmosphere, the sunlight
directly reaches its surface causing
the area that faces the Sun to be
extremely hot and the darker area is
extremely cold.
 Planets that have an atmosphere
• Earth :has clouds that reflect sunlight
back into outer space but the atmosphere
traps some of the heat, which causes the
greenhouse effect.

• Venus: has thick clouds that can reflect

sunlight into outer space, but the layers
consist of mostly CO2 which causes the
greenhouse effect.Therefore more heat is
trapped.
•Mars: although the planet has an
atmosphere, it has extremely low
surface pressure compared to the
earth. Hence, causing very little
effect on its surface temperature.
2.THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DENSITY
Relationship between Density
AND GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF THE and
Gravitational
PLANETS Pull of the Planets

 The gravitational pull of a planet depends on

the density and size(radius) of the planet.
 Gas giants that are less dense such as Saturn
and Uranus have weaker gravitational pull.
 Planets that are denser such as Jupiter have
stronger gravitational pull.
3.RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISTANCE,
TIME AND SPEED

• Planets that are far away from the Sun

have larger orbits.

• Hence, they move more slowly and

take a longer time to orbit the Sun.
 Direction of rotation

 All planets in the solar system rotate on

their axis at different angles.
 All these planets rotate from west to
east except Venus and Uranus.
 Venus rotates from east to west
 Uranus rotates on its side.
 What are natural satellites ?
 Objects that move around
planets on their own orbit. The
moon is the only natural
satellite of the Earth
Complete up the bubble
map below(Pg 262)
Has
Has aa lot
lot of
of
water
water for
for all
all
living
living
processes
processes

Has
Has gravity
gravity Has
Has high
high
that
that keeps
keeps oxygen
oxygen
objects
objects from
from content
content for
for
floating
floating respiratory
respiratory
process
process

Characteristics of
the Earth

Refer
Refer Refer
Refer
textbook
textbook textbook
textbook

Refer
Refer
textbook
textbook
 LOVE OUR EARTH
 Ecological footprint is:
 (a) the measure of the ability of water and

land to provide the basic needs of humans

 (b)the ability of the Earth to absorb all human

wastes and reproduce resources after they

have been used by humans.
 (c)ratio measurement for six areas ( carbon

dioxide, waste treatment areas, construction

areas, forests, agricultural areas, farming
areas and fishing areas using the shape of a
human foot.
THE END !