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What is the difference between inner planet and outer planet?

Joe Ford

What is the difference between inner planet and outer planet?

The inner planets are made up mostly of rock. The outer planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are large balls of gases with rings around them. All eight planets travel around the Sun in a different orbit.

What are two major differences between the inner planets and the outer planets?

Inner planets have fewer moons, small, silicate surface, nickel-iron core, higher density and rotate more slowly compared to outer planets. Outer planets have a greater number of moons, no solid part; rotate faster, have a lower density as well as rings in some cases (Jupiter and Saturn).

How are the inner planets alike and different?

The four planets closest to the sun—Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars—are the inner planets, also called the terrestrial planets because they are similar to Earth. Compared to the outer planets, the inner planets have shorter orbits around the Sun, but all the inner planets spin more slowly.

What caused the difference in the inner and outer planets?

The elements in the Inner Planets are more closely packed together, causing them to be smaller and solid. Despite being larger, the elements that make up the Outer Planets are less densely packed together causing them to be quite light for their size.

What are 4 characteristics of the inner planets?

Summary

  • The four inner planets have slower orbits, slower spin, no rings, and they are made of rock and metal.
  • The four outer planets have faster orbits and spins, a composition of gases and liquids, numerous moons, and rings.
  • The outer planets are made of hydrogen and helium, so they are called gas giants.

What are 3 characteristics of the inner planets?

The Inner Planets All are solid, dense, and rocky. None of the inner planets has rings. Compared to the outer planets, the inner planets are small. They have shorter orbits around the Sun and they spin more slowly.

What are the inner planets known as?

The inner planets, or terrestrial planets, are the four planets closest to the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Figure below shows the relative sizes of these four inner planets. This composite shows the relative sizes of the four inner planets.