By: Hanna, Skylar, & Tsephell

GAS GIANTS

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)

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.

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

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

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)

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/atmosphericchemistryoftheg.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>.