Planets of the Solar System Worksheet - Studyladder Interactive ... - Free Printable

Since the image you uploaded is a worksheet titled "Planets of the Solar System" with blank tables and questions, I’ll help you complete it with accurate scientific information. Below is the fully filled-out version of the worksheet along with explanations.

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✔ Completed Worksheet: Planets of the Solar System

#### Table: Information About Each Planet

| Planet Name | Distance from the Sun (in km) | Type of Planet (Gas Giant, Ice Giant, or Terrestrial) | Diameter (in km) | Length of Orbit (in Earth days) | Length of Rotation (in Earth days) |
|------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| Mercury | 57,910,000 | Terrestrial | 4,880 | 88 | 58.6 |
| Venus | 108,200,000 | Terrestrial | 12,104 | 225 | 243 (retrograde) |
| Earth | 149,600,000 | Terrestrial | 12,756 | 365.25 | 1 |
| Mars | 227,940,000 | Terrestrial | 6,792 | 687 | 1.03 |
| Jupiter | 778,500,000 | Gas Giant | 139,820 | 4,333 | 0.41 (approx. 10 hours) |
| Saturn | 1,433,500,000 | Gas Giant | 116,460 | 10,759 | 0.44 (approx. 10.7 hours) |
| Uranus | 2,872,500,000 | Ice Giant | 50,724 | 30,687 | 0.72 (approx. 17.2 hours) |
| Neptune | 4,495,100,000 | Ice Giant | 49,244 | 60,190 | 0.67 (approx. 16.1 hours) |

> 🔍 Notes:
> - Distance from the Sun: Average distance (semi-major axis).
> - Type of Planet:
> - Terrestrial: Rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars).
> - Gas Giants: Jupiter, Saturn (mostly hydrogen and helium).
> - Ice Giants: Uranus, Neptune (rich in ices like water, ammonia, methane).
> - Diameter: Equatorial diameter.
> - Length of Orbit: How long it takes to complete one orbit around the Sun.
> - Length of Rotation: How long it takes to spin once on its axis.

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✔ What Were Each of the Planets Named After?

- Mercury: Roman god of travel and commerce, known for speed — matches Mercury’s fast orbit.
- Venus: Roman goddess of love and beauty — named for its bright, shiny appearance.
- Earth: From Old English "eorþe", meaning ground or soil; not named after a god.
- Mars: Roman god of war — red color resembles blood.
- Jupiter: King of the Roman gods — largest planet, dominant in the solar system.
- Saturn: Roman god of agriculture — also associated with time.
- Uranus: Greek god of the sky — named by William Herschel, later standardized in Greek mythology.
- Neptune: Roman god of the sea — blue color resembles the ocean.

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📝 Explanation of Key Concepts

- Distance from the Sun: Measured in kilometers (km), increases as we go outward.
- Planet Types:
- Terrestrial: Dense, rocky, small, have solid surfaces.
- Gas Giants: Large, low density, no solid surface, composed of gases.
- Ice Giants: Similar to gas giants but richer in heavier elements (ices).
- Orbit Length: The time for one full revolution around the Sun (year). Increases with distance.
- Rotation Length: Time for one full spin (day). Varies widely — Venus rotates slowly and backwards (retrograde).

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🌍 Fun Fact

The only planet not named after a mythological figure is Earth, which comes from ancient Germanic words meaning "ground" or "soil".

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