1. Organize the names of the planets below in order from smallest diameter to largest diameter:

- smallest diameter






- largest diameter

2. We can predict the motion of and .

3. Patterns seen on Earth, such as seasons and day and night, are caused by which of the following?

• the position of the Earth in our solar system
• the distance of the Earth from the Sun
• the size and shape of the Earth
• the orbit and rotation of the Earth

4. Mars and Mercury have the same acceleration due to gravity. Which of the following statements best explains the difference in their other characteristics?

• Mercury is made of pure metal, which makes it heavier that Mars.
• Mars and Mercury are likely composed of materials of different density.
• Mars has a more dense core than Mercury, which give it a larger diameter.
• Mercury has a smaller mass than Mars, which gives it more gravity.

5. Which of the following is an accurate statement when we’re looking at the patterns of size and density of planets?

• Smaller sized planets tend to have greater density, due to being made of more compact materials.
• Planets have greater size and lower mass the farther away they are from the Sun.
• Larger planets tend to have greater density, due to having more mass.
• Planets closer to the Sun have greater size and less density, due to being made of more atmospheric gases.

6. The density of Mercury and Earth are almost the same, but the pull of gravity is very different. How can we explain this difference?

7. What patterns in the data given can help to show the differences between the Inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) and the Outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)?

8. Explain how your model shows the difference in size between the two planets and explain how the information provided helped you create your model.

9. The outer planets are made up of gasses while the inner planets are made up of solids like rocks. Sort the mass data provided into two groups: inner planets and outer planets. Write a few sentences that describe any trends you see in the mass data.

10. What technology has enabled us to gather the information that we see here and how do think the ways we gather this data will change in the next 20 years?

11. Draw a model in the space below to show the differences in size between Mercury and Earth.

12.
Julie wants to make a scale model to compare the sizes of the sun and the planets. She is planning on using a basketball to represent the sun. Use the given data about the properties of the planets, and the data about the sun, above, to explain whether the scale of Julie’s model will or will not work as planned.