2. GENERAL:
• There are four gas giants (Jovian Planets, Giant Planets) in our Solar System –
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
• The outer planets of the Solar System
-Cold, due to the distance from the Sun.
• Compared to other terrestrial planets, they are massive.
• Not completely gas, the core is liquid compounds (including heavy molten liquids)
• Low-density
• Density increases towards the center
• Rotate quickly
• Solid moons
• Two type of gas planets:
- Classic or traditional (mostly hydrogen and helium)
- Ice gas planets (a little hydrogen and helium, and are mostly made out of ices
like methane, ammonia, and water)
3. JUPITER
• Discovered by the Greeks
• Biggest planet in the solar system
• Stormy and Cold
- Has swirling cloud stripes caused by massive storms, that have been there for
hundreds of years.
• Orbit- 11.87 years to orbit around the Sun
• 50 moons (Europa, Io, Ganymede, Callisto, & Amalthea are the biggest moons)
• Three rings:
-The Main Ring (Darkest)
-The Halo
-Gossamer (Faintest)
• The pressure and temperature increase, compressing the hydrogen gas into a liquid. A
third of the way down, the hydrogen becomes metallic and starts to conduct electric.
• Jupiter's powerful magnetic field is generated by electrical currents driven by Jupiter's fast
rotation, the pressure may support a solid core of rock about the size of Earth.
• Has enough gas to resemble a star's composition, but doesn't have enough gas to ignite
like a star (needs to be 80x larger).
• Enormous magnetic field is nearly 20,000 times as powerful as Earth's.
4. SATURN
• Discovered in 1610
• Orbit- 27.9 years
• 53 moons
• Atmosphere:
-72% hydrogen
- 25% helium
- Little bit of methane and ice
• 23 rings (6 visible rings)
• These super-fast winds, combined with heat rising from within the planet's interior, cause the
yellow and gold bands visible in the atmosphere.
-The rings are mostly made of water ice
• The rings are believed to be pieces of comets, asteroids or shattered moons that broke up
before they reached the planet. Each ring orbits at a different speed around the planet.
• Stormy and Warm
5. URANUS
• Discovered in 1781
• Seventh planet from the Sun
• Third largest planet
• Orbit- 84.3 years
• 27 moons
• Atmosphere:
-83% hydrogen
-15% helium
-2% methane
• 13 rings (are not visible)
• Icy and cold
• Clouds that blow around rapidly
-made of methane ice
• The blue color is because of methane gas in the atmosphere
• Has only been visited by Voyager 2 in 1986
6. NEPTUNE
• Discovered in 1846
• Strongest winds than any other planet in the solar system (1500 M.P.H)
• Orbit- 146 years
• Orbit defies Newton’s first law
• 13 known moons
• Nine rings (none are visible to the human eye)
• Atmosphere:
-Hydrogen
-Helium
-Methane
• Icy
• Has on been visited by Voyager 2 (1989)
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY (MLA):
• "Gas Planets." Universe Today. Web. 3 May 2012.
• <http://www.universetoday.com/43305/gas-planets/>
• Unknown. "The Gas Giant Planets." Math, Reading Comprehension, Themes, Lesson
Plans, and Printable Worksheets. Web. 03 May 2012.
<http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_54_830.html>.
• Unknown. "Atmospheric Chemistry of the Gas Giant Planets." Geochemical Society.
Web. 03 May 2012.
<http://www.geochemsoc.org/publications/geochemicalnews/gn142jan10/atmosphericchemistry
oftheg.htm>
• Unknown. "Uranus." Â LÂ Facts, Pictures and Information. Web. 03 May 2012.
<http://nineplanets.org/uranus.html>.
• Unknown. "Neptune." Â LÂ Facts, Pictures and Information. Web. 03 May 2012.
<http://nineplanets.org/neptune.html>.
