Planets

Question 1

What are the eight planets and their location from the Sun?

Answer 1

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Saturn

Question 2

What are some interesting facts about Mercury? (4)

Answer 2

• it lacks an atmosphere which causes extreme heating and cooling
• it is the closest to the Sun
• it is only visible at dusk and dawn
• it has craters on its surface

Question 3

What are some interesting facts about Venus? (4)

Answer 3

• it has huge volcanoes
• it is the brightest object after the Sun and the Moon
• it is Earth’s sister because of its similar size and composition
• it is hotter than Mercury because it has a runaway greenhouse effect

Question 4

What are some interesting facts about Earth? (3)

Answer 4

• 70% of its surface is Earth; the only planet with water in three forms
• its ozone protects it from the Sun
• soil supports life

Question 5

What are some interesting facts about Mars? (3)

Answer 5

• red planet (rusty soil-iron in crust)
• water has been found here
• has a thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide

Question 6

What are some interesting facts about Jupiter? (3)

Answer 6

• its coloured bands are spinning belts of gas
• its red spot is a giant hurricane (visible for over 500 years)
• its mass is greater than all the other planets combined

Question 7

What are some interesting facts about Saturn? (3)

Answer 7

• less dense than water (it could float on water)
• its rings are made of ice and rock
• second largest planet

Question 8

What are some interesting facts about Uranus? (3)

Answer 8

• its atmosphere is mostly hydrogen
• its blue-green colour is from methane on the atmosphere
• it is flipped on its side; it looks like its rolling around in orbit

Question 9

What are some interesting facts about Neptune? (3)

Answer 9

• appears blue because of methane gas
• it surface gravity is almost Earth like
• it is the coldest planet and has the strongest winds

Question 10

What is the biggest planet?

Answer 10

Jupiter; 11.2 times the size of Earth

Question 11

What is the smallest planet?

Answer 11

Mercury; 0.4

Question 12

Which planet has the most and least moons?

Answer 12

Mercury and Venus don’t have any moons.

Jupiter has 63 moons.

Question 13

Which planet has the longest and shortest orbital period?

Answer 13

Mercury 0.24

Neptune 165

Question 14

Which planet has the longest and shortest rotational period?

Answer 14

Jupiter 9.85 hours

Venus 243 Earth days

Question 15

Which planet has the biggest and smallest diameter?

Answer 15

Mercury 2/5 of the diameter of Earth

Jupiter 11x

Question 16

Which planet is furthest and closest to/from the Sun?

Answer 16

Mercury 58 million km

Neptune 4497 million km