Earth Science | Solar and the Earth Systems
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
A. THE PLANETS
Mercury
Mercury is named for the Roman
messenger to the gods
Venus
Referred to as the Earth’s sister
planet due the their similar size
and mass
Mars
God of War
Jupiter
Jupiter (Zeus) was the King of the
Gods in Roman mythology,
making the name a good choice
for what is by far the largest
planet in our solar system  
Saturn
Saturn (Cronus) is the Roman
god of agriculture.
 In Greek mythology, Cronus was
the son of Uranus and Gaea
Uranus
The ancient Roman deity of the
Heavens, the earliest supreme
god.  
Uranus is the sky god and first
ruler
Neptune
It spins on its axis very rapidly
A Comparison of the Features of Venus, Earth, and Mars
Mass (*1024kg)
Diameter (km)
Density (kg/m3)
Gravity (m/s2)
Escape Velocity (km/s)
Prepared by: Mercado, G. & Forag, RM
 closest planet to the sun
 A year in Mercury is just 88 days long
 smallest planet in the Solar System; second hottest planet
 no atmosphere
 second densest planet
 second planet from the Sun;
 second largest terrestrial planet 
 second brightest object in the night sky after the Moon; called the
morning and evening star
 surface of the planet is obscured by an opaque layer of clouds made up
of sulfuric acid
 the fourth planet from the sun
 second smallest planet in the Solar System
 often described as the “Red Planet” due to its reddish appearance
 fifth planet out from the Sun, and is two and a half times more massive
than all the other planets in the solar system combined
 made primarily of gases and is therefore known as a “gas giant”
 fourth brightest object in the solar system after the
Sun, Moon and Venus
It is one of five planets visible to the naked eye from Earth
 sixth planet from the Sun and the most distant that can be seen with the
naked eye
 has a prominent ring system that consists of nine continuous main rings
and three discontinuous arcs, composed mostly of ice particles with a
smaller amount of rocky debris and dust
 has a prominent ring system that consists of nine continuous main rings
and three discontinuous arcs, composed mostly of ice particles with a
smaller amount of rocky debris and dust
 Seventh planet from the Sun.
 It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass
in the Solar System
coldest planet
 Uranus has rings
 Uranus has 27 moons
 the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun
 similar in composition to Uranus, and both have compositions which
differ from those of the larger gas giants, Jupiter, and Saturn
 spins on its axis very rapidly
 Its equatorial clouds take 18 hours to make one rotation. This is because
Neptune is not solid body
VENUS EARTH MARS
4.87 5.97 0.642
12,104 12,756 6792
5243 5514 3933
8.9 9.8 3.7
10.4 11.2 5
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 Earth Science | Solar and the Earth Systems

Surface Pressure (bars) 92 1 0.01

77%N 95% CO2
96% CO2
Composition of Atmosphere 21% O2 2.7% N
3.5% N
1% Ar 1.6% Ar
Major Greenhouse Gases (GHG) CO2 CO2, H2O CO2
Mean Temperature (C) 464 15 -65
Temperature if no GHG are Present -46 -18 -57
Change in Temperature (C) due to GHG +523 +33 +10
Distance from the Sun (*106km) 108.2 149.6 227.9
Orbital Period (days) 224.7 365.25 687
Orbital Velocity (km/s) 35 29.8 24.1
Length of Day (hours) 2802 24 24.7
Global Magnetic Field No Yes No

 Venus and Uranus are the only planets that rotate clockwise (retrograde rotation.)

 The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy of the Local Group, followed by the Milky Way and the
Triangulum Galaxy; there are around 30 other smaller galaxies in the group.

 In the Resolution B5 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), planets, dwarf planets, and small
solar system bodies are defined as follows:
o A planet is a celestial body that:
 is in orbit around the sun;
 has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a
nearly round shape; and
 has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit
o A dwarf planet is a celestial body that:
 is in orbit around the sun;
 has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a
nearly round shapes;
 has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit; and
 is not a satellite
o Small solar system bodies are all other objects except satellites orbiting around the sun. These
currently include asteroids, trans-Neptunian Objects or TNO’s (orbiting beyond Neptune), comets,
and other small celestial bodies.

B. FACTORS THAT MAKE A PLANET HABITABLE

Not Enough of the Too Much of the Situation in the

Factors Just Right
Factor Factor Solar System
Temperature Low temperatures Life seems to be At about 125C, Surface: Only the
(influences on cause chemicals to limited to a protein, and Earth’s surface is in
how quickly react slowly, which temperature range of carbohydrate this temperature
atoms or interferes with the -15C to 115C. In molecules, and the range.
molecules reactions necessary this range, liquid genetic material (e.g. Sub-surface: This
move) for life. It can also water can still exist DNA and RNA) interior of the solid
cause the freezing of under certain start to break apart. planets and moons
water, making liquid conditions. Also, high may be in this
water unavailable. temperatures cause temperature range.
the quick
evaporation of
water.

Atmosphere Small planets and Earth and Venus are Venus’ atmosphere Of the solid planets
moons have the right size to hold is 100 times thicker & moons, only earth,
insufficient gravity a sufficient sized that the Earth’s. It is Venus, & Titan have
to hold an atmosphere. Earth’s made almost entirely significant
atmosphere. The gas atmosphere is about of greenhouse gases, atmospheres. Mars’
molecules escape to 100 miles thick. It making the surface atmosphere is about
space, leaving the keeps the surface too hot for life. The 1/100th that of Earth,
planet or moon warm & protects it four giant planets are too small for
without an insulating from radiation & completely made of significant insulation
blanket or a small- to medium- gas. or shielding.
protective shield. sized meteorites.

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Energy When there is too With a steady input Light energy is a Surface: The inner
little sunlight or too of either light or problem if it makes a planets get too much
few of the chemicals chemical energy, planet too hot or too sunlight for life. The
that provide energy cells can run the or if there are too outer planets get too
to cells, such as iron chemical reactions many harmful rays, little.
or sulphur, necessary for life. such as ultraviolet. Sub-surface: Most
organisms die. Too many energy- solid planets and
rich chemicals is not moons have energy
a problem. rich chemicals
Nutrients used Without chemicals to All solid planets and Too many nutrients Surface: Earth has a
to build and make proteins and moons have the are not a problem. water cycle, an
maintain an carbohydrates, same general However, too active atmosphere, and
organism’s body organisms cannot chemical makeup, so circulation system volcanoes to
grow. Planets nutrients are present. such as the constant circulate them to
without systems to Those with water volcanism on organisms.
deliver nutrients to cycle or volcanic Jupiter’s moon, Io, Sub-surface: Any
its organisms cannot activity can transport or the churning planet or moon with
support life. Also, and replenish atmospheres of the sub-surface water or
when nutrients are chemicals required gas planets, molten rock can
spread so thin that by living organisms. interferes with an circulate and
they are hard to organism’s ability to replenish nutrients
obtain, life can’t get enough nutrients. for organisms.
exist.

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 Earth Science | Solar and the Earth Systems

LESSON 2: EARTH AND EARTH SYSTEM

A. EARTH SPHERE
 the Earth is subdivided into different spheres
 these spheres interact with one another, enabling Earth to sustain life
 the interaction of the spheres is what makes Earth a system, where one sphere cannot act independently
from the rest

1. Hydrosphere (the water portion)

 makes up to 71% of Earth’s surface, and most of it is saltwater found in the oceans including fresh
water found in glaciers, rivers, streams, lakes, and underground aquifers and streams
 the fresh water part is important to living things
 groundwater is the largest reservoir of fresh water available to humans
 dynamic mass of water that interacts with each of Earth’s spheres through the water cycle
 the water moves from the hydrosphere to the:
o atmosphere through the evaporation
o geosphere through precipitation
o back to hydrosphere through runoff
 the interaction of the geosphere and the hydrosphere is responsible for sculpturing Earth’s surface
that produces its magnificent landforms

CRYOSPHERE- ("icy cold sphere")

o Frozen part of Earth: the glaciers, icebergs at sea, and the huge icecaps in Greenland and
Antarctica

2. Atmosphere (Air sphere)

 The envelope of gases that surround the earth
 Air is a mixture of different gases like nitrogen (most abundant gas in the atmosphere), oxygen
(supports life), hydrogen (more common gas in the exosphere)and CO2 (released by man,
decomposing matter and combustion of materials)

 DIVISIONS OF the ATMOSPHERE

a. Troposphere
 Is the bottom 11 km of the atmosphere where wind, clouds and water vapor are found
 Temperature varies greatly near the earth's surface; warmer near the equator and colder
towards the pole
 Layer with the most abundant gas in the atmosphere
 Tropopause is a thin layer that separates the troposphere from the stratosphere
 It is where weather phenomena occur
b. Stratosphere
 Lies above the troposphere
 It where the jet stream is found close to the troposphere. Jet stream is a column of horizontal
wind blowing west to east and vise –versa; it aids in high speed travel
 Bottom part is the ozone layer which increases the temperature
 Stratopause sets the boundary between the stratosphere and ionosphere
c. Mesophere
 Lies above the stratosphere
 cleanest layer
 Air grows colder against almost uniformly as one goes up because gases in this region do not
absorb the sun's rays
 Meteors burn in this layer due to friction and are seen as shooting stars
 Mesopause separates the mesosphere and thermosphere
d. Thermosphere
 layer of the atmosphere next to the mesosphere
 starts at about 55 km and has no definite upper limit
 has the least amount of atmospheric molecules
 receives the most of the high-energy radiation, which causes the increase in temperature as
altitude increases
e. Ionosphere
 Regions where charged particles called ions are formed
 Layer that makes possible radio communication
 This is where auroras are formed. Auroras are beautiful, colorful displays of light only seen in
the northern (aurora borealis) and southern hemispheres(aurora australis)

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f. Exosphere
 Outermost layer that extends to the outer space
 Satellites, space probes, shuttles and other spacecrafts stay

o EXO- or CELESTIAL SPHERE- ("Outside or heavenly sphere")

 Includes the whole universe beyond the top of the atmosphere--the Sun, Moon, and
stars, as well as the asteroids and the little bits of dust that make meteors when they hit
the atmosphere.

3. Geosphere
 Composed of the crust and the upper most portion of the mantle; about 100 kilometers thick
 Due to increased temperature and pressure, deeper portions of the lithosphere are capable of plastic
flow over geologic time
 The zone of earthquakes, mountain building, volcanoes, and continental drift

 Internal Structure of the Earth

a) Crust - uppermost layer of the solid Earth; extends down to 32-48 km
i. Oceanic Crust (8-10 km thick) – structure is uniform, a layer of sediment covers
three layers igneous rock of which the thickest is the layer of gabbro
ii. Continental Crust (70 km thick) – structure is varied and changes over short
distances, upper and lower continental crusts divided by a diffuse boundary called
Conrad Discontinuity (b/n 14.5 & 24 km)
b) Mantle
i. Silica-rich layer that lies between crust and core (40 km – 2,897 km below the
surface)
o Upper mantle – cool and brittle
o Lower mantle – hot and soft (but not molten)
ii. Mohorovicic Discontinuity – boundary between crust and mantle; temperature is
about 2,2000 C
c) Core - inner portion of the Earth
i. The central portion of the below the Gutenberg discontinuity that separates it from
the mantle, forms a sphere 3,470 km in diameter and comprises as inner, solid part
and an outer, liquid part
o Outer core – made up of molten rock about 2,250 km thick
o Inner core – solid about 1,150 km thick with an extreme high temperature
of 2,2000 C

4. Biosphere
 Is the biological component of the Earth
 It includes all the microbes, plants and animals that can be found 1 km above sea level down to the
deepest parts of the oceans
 It extends to any place where life of any kind might exist

ANTHROPHOSPHERE – “Human Sphere”

o Includes all parts of Earth that has been modified by humans

References:
Book: Sia, S. R. and Cortez, L. A., Earth and Life Science, Sibs Publishing House, Inc., 2016
Internet: http://geology.com/nsta/earth-internal-structure.shtml

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