GL 107 Earth Systems Science

K. Hannula

Discussion questions for 12/5/07

 

1.  List the planets in order of increasing distance from the sun.  Compare their diameter, length of day (= period of rotation), and density.

Starting from closest to the sun:

Planet Diameter Length of day Density
Mercury 3015 miles 59 earth days 5.4 g/cm3
Venus 7526 miles 244 earth days 5.2 g/cm3
Earth 7920 miles 23 hours, 56 min, 04 sec 5.5 g/cm3
Mars 4216 miles 24 hours, 37 min, 23 sec 3.9 g/cm3
Jupiter 88,700 miles 9 hours, 50 min 1.3 g/cm3
Saturn 75,000 miles 10 hours, 14 min 0.7 g/cm3
Uranus 29,000 miles 17 hours, 14 min 1.2 g/cm3
Neptune 28,900 miles 16 hours, 03 min 1.7 g/cm3
Pluto ~ 1425 miles 6.4 earth days 1.8 g/cm3

2.  How are the inner (or "terrestrial") planets different from the outer (or "Jovian") planets?

Inner planets: smaller, denser, more rock and less atmosphere

Outer planets: larger, less dense, lots of atmosphere compared to rock

3.  What is Venus' atmosphere composed of?  How is Venus similar to Earth?  How is it different?

Venus' atmosphere is 97% carbon dioxide.

Similarities to Earth:

Differences:

4.  Compare and contrast Mars and Earth in terms of 1) size, 2) surface temperature, 3) atmosphere composition.

1) Mars is smaller.

2) Mars is colder.

3) Mars has an atmosphere made up primarily of carbon dioxide and water vapor; Earth has an atmosphere made up primarily of nitrogen and oxygen.

5.  Mars features a volcano the size of Ohio (Olympus Mons).  What does this imply for the possibility of plate tectonics on Mars? 

It means that plate tectonics as it exists on Earth can't occur on Mars. (On Earth, tectonic plates carry volcanoes on places like Hawaii away from their magma source in the mantle, preventing volcanoes from getting as large as Olympus Mons.)