Questions on the Earth in Space

Q9. The table below gives information about the planets of the Solar System. They are listed in alphabetical order.


planet
name

average distance from the Sun /million km


diameter
/km

time for
one orbit round the Sun

time for
one rotation
on its axis
/hours

temperature on surface of planet /°C

Earth

150

13 000

365 days

24

+22

Jupiter

780

140 000

12 years

9.8

–150

Mars

230

6800

687 days

25

–23

Mercury

58

4900

88 days

1400

+350

Neptune

4500

51 000

165 years

16

–220

Pluto

5900

2300

248 years

150

–220

Saturn

1400

120 000

29 years

10.2

–180

Uranus

2900

51 000

84 years

17

–210

Venus

110

12 000

225 days

5800

+480

(Data obtained from The Guinness Book of Astronomy, Patrick Moore; published by Guinness 1992)

(a) Explain why Neptune and Pluto are the coldest planets.

1 mark

(b) Explain why there could be no liquid water on the surface of:

(i) Mars

(ii) Venus

2 marks

(c) On which planet would the time between sunrise and sunset be shortest?

1 mark

(d) Which planet has the shortest year?

1 mark

(e) Give the name of the force which keeps the planets in their orbits.

1 mark

Maximum 6 marks