1. Gas Planets

2. Vocabulary:  Gas Planet – a large planet that has a deep, massive atmosphere  Planetary Ring – a disk of matter that circles a planet and consists of numerous particles in orbit that range in size from a few millimeters to several hundred meters.

3. The order of the gas planets from Mars  Mars – Jupiter – Saturn – Uranus - Neptune

4. What gives Neptune its bluish color?  It is caused by absorption of red light by methane in Neptune’s atmosphere.

5. What causes cloud bands to form in Jupiter?  The high winds on Jupiter circle the planet and causes cloud bands to form.

6. What are Saturn’s rings made up of?  Saturn’s rings are made up of trillions of small, icy bodies.

7. What is the tilt of Uranus’s axis of rotation?  The tilt of Uranus’s axis of rotation is almost 98 degrees.

8. What makes up the atmosphere of the gas giant planets?  Mostly composed of hydrogen and helium

9. Why do you think the wind speeds on the gas giant planets are so much greater than the wind speeds on Earth?  The gas giant planets have a greater speed of rotation.

10. Why do you think Neptune is our coldest planet?  It’s the furthest from the sun.

11. Interesting Facts:  Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.  Neptune has the strongest winds in the solar system.  Saturn has the largest ring system of the gas giant planets.  Jupiter has more moons than any other planet in the solar system.  Uranus is tilted on its side as it orbits the Sun.

12. More Interesting Facts:  Saturn has a density that is less than water.  Neptune has the strongest winds in the solar system.  Uranus is tilted on its side as it orbits the sun.  Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.