Consider the following statements regarding Terrestrial Planets:1. The...
Statement 1 is incorrect: Jovian (and not terrestrial) planets have a thick atmosphere, mostly of helium and hydrogen.
Supplementary notes:
Our Solar system
- Out of the eight planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are called the ‘inner planets’ as they lie between the Sun and the belt of asteroids the other four planets - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune - are called the ‘outer planets’.
- Alternatively, the first four are called Terrestrial, meaning earth-like as they are made up of rock and metals, and have relatively high densities. The rest five are called Jovian or Gas Giant planets.
- Jovian means Jupiter-like. Most of them are much larger than the terrestrial planets and have a thick atmosphere, mostly of helium and hydrogen.
- All the planets were formed in the same period sometime about 4.6 billion years ago.
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Consider the following statements regarding Terrestrial Planets:1. The...
Incorrect Statement Regarding Terrestrial Planets:
1. Thick Atmosphere Composition:
- The statement that terrestrial planets have a thick atmosphere mostly of helium and hydrogen is incorrect.
- Terrestrial planets, including Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, have thin atmospheres compared to gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn.
- The atmospheres of terrestrial planets are primarily composed of gases like nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other trace elements.
- For example, Earth's atmosphere is predominantly nitrogen and oxygen, with other gases making up a small percentage of the composition.
2. Composition and Density:
- The correct statement is that terrestrial planets are made up of rock and metals and have relatively high densities.
- The terrestrial planets have solid surfaces composed mainly of silicate rocks and metals like iron and nickel.
- Due to their rocky composition, terrestrial planets have higher densities compared to gas giants.
- This composition gives terrestrial planets a solid surface that differentiates them from gas giants, which lack a solid surface.
Therefore, the incorrect statement among the given options is that terrestrial planets have a thick atmosphere mostly of helium and hydrogen (Option A).