Exploring the planets
Building Background
1. From your experience how long does it take for our planet Earth to rotate? How long does it take to revolve around the sun?
During the last four decades, hundreds of satellites, probes and space shuttles have been launched. They have explored space, traveled to the Moon, the Sun, and to all the planets. Now with permanent space stations already in orbit around Earth and telescopes exploring more and more of our universe, space research is still continuing. Talk of future developments includes building a colony on Mars, searching for life in other galaxies, and other exciting programs.
Building Vocabulary- Online Exploration
Clink on the link Order of Planets
2. List the planets in order. Click on each planet to see detailed pictures. Write one fact about small bodies.
The Inner planets
3. What characteristics do the inner planets have in common? ( Pg 552 textbok)
4. What are the main characteristics that distingush the inner planets form the outer planet? ( p 553)
Outer Planets
5. What characteristics do the gas giants have in common? (p 562)
6. Why is it somewhat misleading to call Jupiter a "gas" giant? (p 564)
7. What are the rings of Saturn made up of?(p566)
8. What is the name of Neptune's largest moon? (p568)
9. Is Pluto really a planet? why or why not? (p569)
Closure Question
10. Scientists think that in the past Mars may have had the conditions needed for life to exist. What are these conditions? Do they still exist? ( p558)
