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Gravity is the force that keeps an atmosphere in place, surrounding a planet. Since there is no actual roof or container holding in the atmosphere, gas can always leak away into outer space, if it is not held in place by gravity. So the stronger the gravitational force, the more atmosphere can be retained. Large planets have a lot of hydrogen in their atmosphere, but hydrogen leaks away from smaller planets. Large planets attracted more gas when they were originally formed, as well. Remember that the solar system itself, and everything in it, originally condensed out of an interstellar cloud of gas and dust.
Outer planets have thicker atmospheres because they have stronger gravitational fields, allowing them to retain lighter gases like hydrogen and helium. In contrast, the inner planets, being closer to the Sun, have lighter elements like hydrogen and helium stripped away by the solar wind, resulting in thinner atmospheres.
There is no simple relationship, but the general tendency is that more massive planets have more gravitational attraction, and are able to maintain a denser atmosphere. The amount of atmosphere a planet has may also depend on it closeness to the Sun / to the planet's star, and to its evolutionary history.
no, these are the gas giants, or four outer gas planets. The terrestrial planets are the four inner planets, which are much smaller.
Because the outer planets are made up of mostly gas and dust particles
It varies. Mercury has almost no atmosphere at all, while Venus has a thick atmosphere. It is not as thick as the atmosphere of a gas giant.
No. Only Venus has a really thick atmosphere. Mars has only a thin atmosphere and Mercury has almost no atmosphere.
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Why do you compare outer planets to inner planets?
Outer planets and inner planets are compared because they have distinct differences in size, composition, and characteristics. Inner planets are smaller, rocky, and denser, while outer planets are larger, gaseous, and have thick atmospheres. Studying these differences helps scientists understand how planets form and evolve in our solar system.
Which planets have a thick atmosphere?
Define thick - all 4 outer planets plus Venus have thicker atmospheres than Earth.
Which planets in the solar system are referred to as the inner planets and outer planets?
The 4 Inner planets (mostly rocky and solid):MercuryVenusEarthMarsThe 4 Outer planets (mostly dense gaseous atmospheres):JupiterSaturnUranusNeptuneNotes:Pluto, a dwarf planet, was an outer planet before it got reclassified, but resembles the inner planets.The inner and outer planets are separated by the asteroid belt.When dwarf planets are included, Ceres counts as an inner planet and all the other dwarf planets count as outer planets.
Do outer planets have atmospheres?
Yes
What are two similarities about the inner and outer planets?
Both inner and outer planets orbit around the sun and have roughly spherical shapes. Additionally, they are part of the same solar system and are composed of similar elements, such as rock and metal for inner planets, and gas and ice for outer planets.
Do inner planets have thicker atmospheres than outer planets?
no
Why do you compare outer planets to inner planets?
Outer planets and inner planets are compared because they have distinct differences in size, composition, and characteristics. Inner planets are smaller, rocky, and denser, while outer planets are larger, gaseous, and have thick atmospheres. Studying these differences helps scientists understand how planets form and evolve in our solar system.
Which planets have a thick atmosphere?
Define thick - all 4 outer planets plus Venus have thicker atmospheres than Earth.
What 3 ways do inner planets differ from outer planets?
Inner planets are smaller and made of rock and metal, while outer planets are larger and predominantly made of gas and ice. Inner planets have few or no moons, while outer planets have numerous moons. Inner planets have solid surfaces, while outer planets do not have solid surfaces, instead having thick atmospheres.
Which planets in the solar system are referred to as the inner planets and outer planets?
The 4 Inner planets (mostly rocky and solid):MercuryVenusEarthMarsThe 4 Outer planets (mostly dense gaseous atmospheres):JupiterSaturnUranusNeptuneNotes:Pluto, a dwarf planet, was an outer planet before it got reclassified, but resembles the inner planets.The inner and outer planets are separated by the asteroid belt.When dwarf planets are included, Ceres counts as an inner planet and all the other dwarf planets count as outer planets.
Do only the inner planets have atmospheres?
Negative, not only do the inner planets have atmospheres, but the outer planets also have atmospheres. The masses of the outer planets are great, enough easily to hold an atmosphere. In fact it's Mercury, an inner planet, that has almost no atmosphere. True, Mercury has a less mass and the closeness to the sun make it impossible to hold on a atmosphere. As matter in fact, Mars had a atmosphere, but the solar wind had almost eaten all the atmosphere that Mars had.
How do the massive outer planets differ from the inner terrestrial planets?
The massive outer planets are composed mostly of gas and ice, while the inner terrestrial planets are made primarily of rock and metal. Outer planets are much larger in size and have thick atmospheres, while inner planets are smaller and have thin or no atmospheres. Outer planets also have many moons and rings, while inner planets have few or no moons.
What is the main difference between the inner planets and the outer planets?
The main difference between the inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) and the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) is their composition and size. The inner planets are smaller, rocky planets with solid surfaces, while the outer planets are larger gas giants composed mainly of hydrogen and helium. Additionally, the inner planets are closer to the sun, while the outer planets are farther away.
Do outer planets have atmospheres?
Yes
What is the inner and outer planets and contrast the two groups of planets?
The four inner, rocky planets are also known as the terrestrial planets. These are; Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The four outer gas giant planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The inner planets are smaller and have a higher average density. The outer planets are much larger, but have no real surface - just atmosphere that gets thicker as you travel inwards. The outer planets all have a ring system (the inner planets dont) while the outer planets have captured a lot more natural satellites or moons than the inner planets.
What are two similarities about the inner and outer planets?
Both inner and outer planets orbit around the sun and have roughly spherical shapes. Additionally, they are part of the same solar system and are composed of similar elements, such as rock and metal for inner planets, and gas and ice for outer planets.
Why do inner planets have thinner atmospheres than the outer planets?
Inner planets have thinner atmospheres compared to outer planets because of their smaller size and lower gravity. The gravitational pull of inner planets is not strong enough to hold on to dense gases like hydrogen and helium, which are abundant in the outer planets. Additionally, solar wind and radiation have stripped away some of the atmosphere of inner planets over time.
