CHAPTER 12:
SOLAR SYSTEM
ASTRONOMICAL UNIT
(AU)
• The average distance
between the Earth and
the Sun
• 1 AU = 150,000,000KM
(1.5 x 10^8KM)
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LIGHT YEARS (LY)
• The distance travelled by
light in one year.
• 1 LY = 9.5 Trillion KM (9.5
X 10^12 KM)
• 1 LY = 63241.1 AU
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Mercury 5.79 x 10^7
KM
0.39 AU 6.12 x 10^-6
LY
THE DISTANCES OF THE
Venus 1.08 x 10^8 0.72 AU 1.13 x 10^-5
PLANETS FROM THE SUN KM LY
How to calculate the distances in AU and LY? Earth 1.50 x 10^8
KM
1 AU 1.58 x 10^-5
LY
• KM -> AU = Distance in KM / 1.5 x 10^8Km
Mars 2.28 x 10^8
KM
1.52 AU 2.42 x 10^-5
LY
Example: 5.79 x 10^7Km (Distance of Mercury)
5.79 x 10^7km / 1.5 x 10^8KM = 0.39AU Jupiter 7.78 x 10^8
KM
5.18 AU 8.23 x 10^-5
• KM -> LY = Distance in KM / 9.5 x 10^12Km
Saturn 1.43 x 10^9
KM
9.5 AU 1.51 x 10^-4
LY
Example: 5.79 x 10^7Km (Distance of Mercury)
5.79 x 10^7km / 1.5 x 10^8KM = 0.000006LY Uranus 2.87 x 10^9
KM
19.13 AU 3.03 x 10^-4
LY
Neptune 4.5 x 10^9
KM
30 AU 4.74 x 10^-4
LY
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THE PLANETS IN OUR
SOLAR SYSTEM:
1. Mercury
2 .Ve n u s
3.Earth
4.Mars
5.Jupiter
6.Saturn
7 . U ra n u s
8.Neptune
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MERCURY
• The closest planet to the Sun (57.9M KM)
• The smallest planet in the solar system
(4879KM)
• The surface of Mercury is similar to the
surface of the Moon
• Has no atmosphere
• The average surface temperature is 167°c
• Takes 59 days to rotate on its axis
• Takes 88 days to orbit the Sun
• Has no natural satellites
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VENUS
• Known as “Greenhouse” planet because of
its high CO2 content in its atmosphere
• The second closest planet to the Sun
(108.2M KM)
• The diameter of the planet is 12,104KM
• The hottest planet in our solar system
(457°c)
• Takes 243 days to rotate on its axis
• Takes 224.7 days to orbit the Sun
• Has no natural satellites
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EARTH
• The only planet in our Solar System that can
support life
• The distance to Sun is 149.6M KM
• The diameter of the planet is 12,576KM
• The surface of the planet is mostly water
• The atmosphere protects the planet from UV
rays and radiation
• The average surface temperature is 14°c
• Takes 1 day (24 hours) to rotate on its axis
• Takes 365 days to orbit the Sun
• Has 1 natural satellites; the Moon
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MARS
• Known as the “Red Planet” because its
surface is covered in rusty dust
• The distance to Sun is 227.9M KM
• The diameter of the planet is 6794KM
• The average surface temperature is -55°c
• Takes 25 hours to rotate on its axis
• Takes 687 days to orbit the Sun
• Has 2 natural satellites; Phobos and Demos
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JUPITER
• Known as “The Protector of Earth” as it
deflected many huge objects that can
harm Earth due to its strong gravity
• The largest planet in our solar system
(142,984KM)
• The distance to Sun is 778.3M KM
• The average surface temperature is -153°c
• Takes 10 hours to rotate on its axis
• Takes 11.9 years to orbit the Sun
• Has the most natural satellites in our solar
system (67 moons)
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SATURN
• Has a ring that mostly made of ice, dust
and rocky materials
• The second largest planet in our solar
system (120,536KM)
• The distance to Sun is 1.4B KM
• The average surface temperature is -185°c
• Takes 11 hours to rotate on its axis
• Takes 29.5 years to orbit the Sun
• Has 62 natural satellites
• Has a moon, named Titan that is bigger
than Mercury (5151KM)
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URANUS
• Has a ring similar to Saturn, but it is
thinner and darker.
• Has a tilted axis, which is almost parallel to
its orbit
• The diameter of the planet is 51,118KM
• The distance to Sun is 2.9B KM
• The average surface temperature is -214°c
• Takes 17 hours to rotate on its axis
• Takes 84 years to orbit the Sun
• Has 27 natural satellites
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NEPTUNE
• The furthest planet from Sun (4.5B KM)
• The diameter of the planet is 49,528KM
• The coldest planet in our solar system (-
214°c)
• Takes 16 hours to rotate on its axis
• Takes 164.8 years to orbit the Sun
• Has 14 natural satellites
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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEMPERATURE OF A
PLANET AND THE SUN
Planet Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune
Distance 57.9 108.2 149.6 227.9 778.3 1429 2871 4504
from the sun
(M km)
Surface -173 to 462 -89.2 to -143 to 35 -108 -139 -197.2 -201
temperature 427 56.7
(°c)
The further the planet is from the Sun, the colder the surface temperature is.
The atmosphere of the planets also plays a major role:
1. Mercury: Has no atmosphere, which allow the sunlight to reach its surface easily which makes the planet
extremely hot.
2. Earth: Has clouds that reflect sunlight but trap some of the heat, causing the greenhouse effect.
3. Venus: Has thick clouds that reflect the sunlight, but trap some of the heat, causing the greenhouse effect.
4. Mars: Has an extremely low surface pressure, which affected the surface temperature minimally.
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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DENSITY AND
GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF THE PLANETS
Planet Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune
Relative 0.055 0.815 1 0.107 317.8 95.159 14.536 17.147
Mass
(x Earth)
Diameter 4879 12,104 12,756 6794 142,984 120,536 51,118 49,538
(km)
Density 5.4 5.3 5.5 3.9 1.3 0.7 1.27 1.6
(g cm^-3)
Gravity 3.7 8.87 9.8 3.71 24.79 10.44 8.69 11.15
(m s^-2)
The gravity on the surface on the planet depends on its mass and density.
G =M / D
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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISTANCE , TIME
AND SPEED
Planet Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune
Distance 57.9 108.2 149.6 227.9 778.3 1429 2871 4504
from the sun
(M km)
Time taken 88 days 224.7 days 365 days 687 days 11.9 years 29.5 years 84 years 164.8
to orbit the years
Sun
(Earth time)
The further a planet is from the Sun, the more time it needs to orbit the Sun.
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ROTATIONAL DIRECTION
OF THE PLANETS
West to East East to West
Mercury: 0.1° Venus: 117°
Earth: 23°
Mars: 25°
Jupiter: 3°
Saturn: 27°
Neptune: 30°
Rotate on its side
Uranus 98°
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The Earth as a Planet for Characteristics of the
Living Things Earth
Earth is only planet that has life. 1. Has a lot of water for all living
processes
Earth can support life because
2. Has high oxygen content for
of a few factors such as the
respritatory process
presence of water, minerals, its
3. Has a suitable temperature range; not
temperature and atmospheric too hot or too cold
content. 4. Has an atmosphere that blocks
harmful UV rays
5. Receives sunlight for plant to conduct
photosynthesis
6. Has gravity that keeps objects from
falling
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QUIZ!
4. Other than Saturn, what planet has a ring?
1. What is Astronomical Unit?
a. Venus
a. 1000km
b. Neptune
b. The size of our solar system
c. Moon
c. The average distance between Earth and the Sun
d. Uranus
d. The average distance between Earth and Moon
5. What is the rotational angle of Earth?
2. What is Light Year?
a. 23 °
a. The distance travelled by sound in a year
b. 27 °
b. The distance travelled by light in a year
c. 25 °
c. The distance travelled by light in a decade
d. 30 °
d. The distance travelled by sound in a minute
6. All of these are the reasons why there is life on Earth,
3. What is the smallest planet in our solar system?
EXCEPT…
a. Titan
a. Has high oxygen content
b. Mars
b. Has an atmosphere that blocks harmful UV rays
c. Mercury
c. Has a moon that protects it from asteroids and meteors
d. Pluto
d. Has a suitable temperature range
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THANKS FOR LISTENING!
( ͡° ͜ʖ °͡ )
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