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8.22 Mrs Jensen
The Solar System
18
Science
8th Grade
12/29/2011

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Term
solar system
Definition
system of eight planets, including earth and many smaller objects, that orbit the sun
Term
inner planets
Definition
four solid, rocky planets that are closest to the sun
Term
outer planets
Definition
four planets that are farthest from the sun
Term
Mercury
Definition
has many craters, low gravitational pull, and is the second-smallest planet in out solar system
Term
Venus
Definition
has a dense atmosphere of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid
Term
Earth
Definition
whose surface temperatures allow water to exist as a solid, liquid, and gas and atmosphere protects life from the sun's radiation
Term
astronomical unit
Definition
average distance from Earth to the sun, which is used to measure distances to objects in the solar system
Term
Mars
Definition
appears red due to the iron oxide content in its weathered rocks
Term
Jupiter
Definition
largest planet and is composed mostly of hydrogen and helium and has continuous storms of high-pressure gas
Term
Great Red Spot
Definition
high-pressure storm generated by huge thunderstorms in Jupiter's atmosphere
Term
Saturn
Definition
has a complex ring system made of hundreds of ringlets
Term
Uranus
Definition
large, gaseous planet that has a magnetic pole tilted 60 degrees and rotates on an axis nearly parallel to the plane of its orbit
Term
Neptune
Definition
large, gaseous planet similar to Uranus
Term
comet
Definition
mass of dust and rock particles mixed in with frozen water, ammonia, and methane and consists of a nucleus, a coma, and a tail
Term
Oort Cloud
Definition
cloud of comets that completely surrounds the solar system and that is located beyond the orbit of Pluto
Term
meteor
Definition
meteoroid that burns up in Earth's atmosphere
Term
meteorite
Definition
meteoroid that does not completely burn up in Earth's atmosphere and strikes Earth
Term
asteroid
Definition
piece of rock usually found in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
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