Inner planets = Terrestrial planets

• Terra means "Earth" in Latin

• The four inner planets are called this because of three characteristics:

  • They are smaller than the outer planets

  • They have high densities

  • They have a rocky surface and metallic materials (ex: iron and silicon)

Inner Planets

• Formed from the remains of our Sun and the rocky metal chunks located close to
  the Sun (warmer areas)

• The inner planets are also known as terrestrial (Rocky) planets because they are
  made of or having to do with solid rock.

• Terrestrial planets are denser and smaller because they are made of rock

You can remember the order of the planets from the sun using this sentence:

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos.

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​Order of the Planets

Outer Planets

Made Of: Gases

Size: Larger

Location: Farthest from the Sun- This means they have longer years. Their distance from the sun makes their orbit longer.

Outer Planets

• Formed from the remains of gases, ice, and few chunks of rocky material that
  formed the cores of the outer planets and their resulting gravity was strong
  enough to hold on to extra gases of hydrogen and helium

• The outer planets are also known as Gaseous (Jovian) planets because they are
  composed of compounds that under normal Earth conditions would be gases.

• Gaseous planets are less dense and larger because they are made of gases