The Solar System Grade 3

http://space.y2u.co.uk/Astronomy_Solar_System.htm

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Parts of the Solar System• Sun• Eight planets• Moons• Other objects, including asteroids

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Solar System Vocabulary

• planet- a large, ball-shaped body that revolves, or travels, around the sun

• solar system- what is made up of the sun, the eight planets and their moons, and other objects that revolve around the sun

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More Vocabulary

• orbit- the path that planets and other objects take as they revolve around the sun

• asteroid- a small chunk of rock that orbits the sun

• sun- a ball of hot, glowing gases called plasma that is the center of the solar system

http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2009/10/q_a_the_shape_of_things.php 4

The Sun• Extremely hot—releases a lot of energy that

travels through space• HUGE—can hold one million Earths!• Sun much brighter than any star in night sky

because it is much closer to Earth than the stars

http://www.aerospaceguide.net/solar_system/sun.html 5

Which of the following is FALSE about the sun? 1. It is the center of the

solar system. 2. It is larger than Earth.3. It is not as bright as

the stars in the night sky.

4. It releases a lot of energy.

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Order of Eight Planets from Sun

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-24379816/stock-photo-an-illustrated-diagram-showing-the-order-of-planets-in-our-solar-system.html 7

How to Remember Order of Planets• Pneumonic device

http://www.rocknlearn.com/html/solar_system.htm 8

Planet Facts• Largest planet:

Jupiter• Brightest planet:

Venus• Planet with

thousands of rings: Saturn

• Planet with no atmosphere: Mercury

http://www.grantchronicles.com/astro12.htm

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Which planet comes after Earth in the order of the planets from the sun?

1. Mars2. Venus3. Jupiter4. Saturn

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The Inner Planets

Mercury Venus

Earth Mars

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Description of Inner Planets• Rocky• Closest to sun

http://163.153.62.5/faculty/tdashnaw/stusites/webkc/spacekc.htm12

The Outer Planets/Gas Giants

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

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Description of Outer Planets/Gas Giants• Very large• Surrounded by rings• Do NOT have solid surfaces

http://discoveryenterprise.blogspot.com/2010/10/universe-outer-planets.html

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Which of the following is TRUE about the Gas Giants?1. They are rocky.2. Mars is one of them.3. They are surrounded

by rings.4. They are close to the

sun.

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