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Classifying the Planets WebQuest WorksheetUsing the following websites complete the tables. – (made of rocks; definite surface).Gas – (made of gas; no definite surface).Giant – (diameter greater than Earth’s).Small – (diameter smaller than Earth’s). Note: Earth is 7,900 miles (12,700 kilometers) in diameter.Place an “X” in the column that best describes the planet.PlanetRockyGasGiantSmallMercuryVenusEarthMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptunePlanetDiameter ( radius x 2)Density (g/cm3)Average distance from the sun (Km)Number of moonsNumber of rings MercuryVenusEarth MarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptuneClick on the Back button and visit other links on each planet’s page to find 4 new and important facts about each planet & PlutoMercury Questions:A. Why is Mercury difficult for us to see?B. How many earth days equal a Mercury day?C. What spacecraft visited Mercury?Venus questions:A. Why is Venus normally visible on earth?B. What two times of the day should you look in the sky to see Venus?C. Why does the Sun rise in the west and set in the east on Venus?D. Describe the atmosphere and surface of Venus.Earth questions:A. When was the earth formed?B. What is unique about the earth’s surface?C. What is the term for the slow movement of the Earth’s outer layer.Mars Questions:A. Why was Mars named after a god of war?B. Describe the largest volcano on Mars.C. What are the names of this planet’s two moons?Jupiter Questions:A. What is the most famous feature on Jupiter, and what is it really?B. Why could we not breathe the air on Jupiter?C. What spacecraft have we sent to Jupiter?Saturn Questions:A. What did the two humps observed by Galileo turn out to be?B. What spacecraft is supposed to visit Saturn this year?C. What is the name of Saturn’s largest moon? Uranus Questions:A. What is unusual about the north and south pole and why is this so?B. What are two important facts about the moons of Uranus?C. What made Uranus appear to blink?Neptune questions:A. What was first used to discover Neptune?B. What made the scientist think that Neptune must exist?C. Click on most of the time and figure out in what year Neptune will become further away from the Sun then PlutoD. What is the name of Neptune’s largest moon?Dwarf PlanetComposition(what’s it made of?)Diameter(km)Distancefrom SunLengthof YearNumberof MoonsPlutoCeres ErisHaumeaMakeMake1. What is a dwarf planet? Pluto2. When was Pluto discovered and who discovered it?3. What is so unusual about Pluto's moon Charon? 4. How much of Pluto is water?5. What is the name of the space probe which flew by Pluto?6. List all the moons in the solar system larger than Pluto.Ceres1. Where is Ceres found?2. Ceres was the first ____ discovered.3. What is the first space probe to visit Ceres?4. Ceres makes up what % of the mass in the Asteroid Belt.5. Who discovered Ceres and in what year?Haumea1. How long does a day on Haumea last? MakeMake1. MakeMake lacks this.2. MakeMake is a classic example of what type of object?Eris1. After whom was Eris named?2. All objects in this part of the Solar System could fit inside Eris.3. Why is Eris not considered a planet in our solar system?Write the “Did you Know” for Eris.Using the websites you have been given, answer the following questions:Asteroids Meteors and Comets. 1. What is an asteroid?2. Where are the asteroids found?3. What is a comet?4. Where do comets come from?5. Identify the parts of a comet. a.b.c.6. What is a meteor?7. What is the difference between a meteor, meteorite, and meteoroid?a. Meteor –b. Meteorite –c. Meteoroid –8. What is the Kuiper Belt?9. List the two dwarf planets that are part of the Kuiper Belt. a.b.Planet 91. What is the estimated mass of this hypothetical planet?2. How many Earth years does a full orbit take?3. Click the more button and play the video. What did the astronomers see that caused them to believe that there was a large massive planet at the end of our solar system? ................
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