Comparing Planetary Atmospheres Flashcard

Front

What planet is known for having surface temperatures that allow water to exist in all three states: solid, liquid, and gas?

Back

Earth

Front

Which planet has no atmosphere and therefore no weather?

Back

Mercury

Front

What is one theory about how Earth may have acquired its water?

Back

One theory suggests that water may have been delivered to Earth by comets or asteroids.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-6

Front

What is the composition of the dwarf planet Pluto?

Back

Pluto is made of rock and ice.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

Front

Which planet is surrounded by thick clouds of sulfuric acid and carbon dioxide that trap energy from the Sun?

Back

Venus

Front

What is the primary component of Earth's atmosphere?

Back

Nitrogen, which makes up about 78% of the atmosphere.

Front

What is the greenhouse effect and how does it relate to Venus?

Back

The greenhouse effect is the trapping of heat in a planet's atmosphere. Venus has a strong greenhouse effect due to its thick atmosphere, leading to extremely high surface temperatures.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

Front

What are the main gases found in the atmosphere of Mars?

Back

Mars' atmosphere is primarily composed of carbon dioxide (about 95%), with traces of nitrogen and argon.

Front

What is the significance of the ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere?

Back

The ozone layer protects life on Earth by absorbing the majority of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Front

How does the atmosphere of Jupiter differ from that of Earth?

Back

Jupiter's atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium, with no solid surface, while Earth's atmosphere is composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen.