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4
3
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5
1
7
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R
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1Densities and radii of the planets
4 0 , 0 0 0
3 0 , 0 0 0
2 0 , 0 0 0
5 0 , 0 0 0
1 0 , 0 0 0
7 0 , 0 0 0
6 0 , 0 0 0
0
2 , 0 0 0
Distance from Sun (in millions of miles)
1 , 0 0 0 3 , 0 0 0
2 Atmospheric composition of the inner planets
C a rb o n d i o xi d e
N i tro g e n
O xyg e n
O th e rs
Venus Mars
Earth
a M e rc u ry
b Ve n u s
c E a rth
d M a rs
e J u p i te r
f S a tu rn
g U ra n u s
h N e p tu n e
a
b
c
d
h
f
a
b
c
d
e
e
f
g
g
h
Radius
Density
Planetary density, size,
and atmosphere
AT O M I C ST RUCT URE
1Densities and radii of the
planets
G The i nner planets Mercury, Venus,
Earth, and Mars are relati vely small
but have a hi gher densi ty than the
outer planets.
G The outer planets Jupi ter, Saturn,
Uranus, and Neptune are relati vely
large but have a lower densi ty than the
i nner planets.
2 Atmospheric composition
of the inner planets
G Earth satmospherewasprobably
si mi lar to that of Venusand Marswhen
the planetsformed. However, the
parti cular condi ti onson Earth allowed
li fe to start and flouri sh. Wi th thi s
came drasti c changesto the
composi ti on of the atmosphere. O f
parti cular i mportance i sthe evoluti on
of green plants.
G Green plantscontai n a pi gment called
chlorophyll. Plantsuse thi spi gment to
trap energy from sunli ght and make
carbohydrates. The processi scalled
photosynthesis.
G AsEarth became greener, the
proporti on of carbon dioxidei n the
atmosphere fell unti l i t reached the
present level of about 0.04 percent.
G The green plantsprovi ded a meansof
turni ng the Sun senergy i nto food,
whi ch i n turn, provi ded ani malswi th
the energy they needed to survi ve.
Thus, ani malscould evolve alongsi de
plants.
G Condi ti onson the two planets
adjacent to Earth Venusand Mars
were not sui table for li fe aswe know
i t, and the atmosphereson these
planetshave remai ned unchanged.
atmosphere
carbon dioxide
chlorophyll
photosynthesis
Key words
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