The Solar System Flashcards
Laws of Planetary Motion, Rules of Planets, and Planets of the Solar System (9 cards)
Laws of Planetary Motion
What is the shape of an object’s path (orbit) around a larger object?
Debra’s Hint: Kepler’s First Law
(Optional to flip if needed)
According to Kepler’s first law, the orbit of an object around a larger object like a planet around the Sun or a moon around a planet is not a perfect circle, but a ellipse!✨
Laws of Planetary Motion
What happens to the speed and area covered by an orbiting object when it is closer or farther away?
Debra’s Hint: Kepler’s Second Law
(Honestly, you can flip; It’s so confusing)
- Object closer to larger body: Gravitational pull stronger (Speeds up)
- Object farther away: Gravity weakens (slows down)
- Area covered: An orbiting object sweeps out equal areas in equal amount of time.
Laws of Planetary Motion
What happens to how long it takes a planet to make on revolution (orbit) around the Sun the further away it is from the Sun?
Debra’s Hint: How closer to the Sun planets orbit than farther ones?
(Optional to flip if needed)
Closer planets (mercury) orbit the sun around quickly.
Farther planets (neptune) take longer to fully orbit the sun around.
- Neptune takes about 165 Earth years to complete one orbit.
- The pull of gravity weakens from distance.
Kepler’s Third Law:
- The farther a planet is from the Sun, the longer it takes to complete its orbit.
Rules for Planets
What are the three rules for being classified as a planet?
You can flip this! However, you must memorize these 3 steps.
The Three Rules to be Classified as a Planet:
1. Must only revolve around the Sun.
2. Must have enough mass that gravity makes it nearly spherical.
3. Must be the most gravitational dominant object of its own (orbit) -> Dwarf plants don’t follow this rule.
Rules for Planets
Which rule do Dwarf planets not meet?
Debra’s Hint: One of the rules of being a standard planet.
Dwarf planets DO NOT follow the third rule.
Planets of the Solar System
Identify the differences between Terristrial & Jovian planets.
Debra’s Hint: It relates to the closeness around the Sun.
(Optional to flip if needed)
Terristrial Planets: They are rocky worlds close to the Sun.
Jovian Planets: They are huge gas or ice planets farther out.
Terristrial Planets:
- Examples - Mercury, Venus, & Earth
- Made of - Made of rock and metal
- Size - Small & Dense
- Atmosphere- Thin & Moderate (Earth = Densest)
- Moons or rings- Few or none
Jovian Planets:
- Examples - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, & Neptune
- Made of - Gas + Ice (No solid surface)
- Size - Huge & less dense
- Atmosphere- Very thick, hydrogen and helium
- Moons or rings- Many & Prominant ring systems
Planets of the Solar System
Know the planets of our Solar System in order from closest to the Sun and then outward.
Someone’s Hint: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos.
Look at the very first letter of each word or (Optional to flip if needed)
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Planets of the Solar System
Know the key characteristics (unique ones) for each planet in the Solar system.
You can flip this! However, you must try your best to memorize these.
Mercury:
- Smallest of the standard planets.
- Little to no atmosphere.
- Has the greatest temperature range out of all the Solar planets. (-170oC at night, +430oC during day).
Venus:
- Hottest
- Thick atmosphere made of CO2
- Day longer than its Year.
- It rotates backwards (retrograde).
Earth:
- Largest of the terrestrial planets.
Mars:
- Soil has a high Iron oxide (rust) content = red color.
- Half the size of the Earth.
- Has massive dust storms.
Jupiter:
- Largest planet in the Solar system.
- Has a large red, circulating storm called the Great Red Spot (2.5 times the size of Earth).
- Has several atmospheric bands visible.
Saturn:
- Elaborate ring system made of tiny bits of rock, dust, and ice.
- Fastest rotating planet.
Uranus:
It rotates on its side
Neptune:
- Bright blue colored planet.
- Has a big rotating storm called the Great Blue Spot.
- Fastest winds in the Solar system
Planets of the Solar System
Why is Venus Hotter than Mercury despite being further away?
You can flip this! However, you must try your best to memorize these.
(Optional to flip if needed)
- Mercury: Has no atomsphere Hot = Day (800 F) + Night = Cold (-300 C)
- Venus: Has a thick atmosphere full of carbon dioxide, which traps heat like a giant green house. Sun’s energy can’t escape; venus consistently gets hotter.
