The Outer Planets?

Question

1. How do scientists explain the large amount of light elements in outer planets?

2. Compare the features of jupiter and saturn.

3 How are Uranus and Neptune similar?

Answer 1

1. The planets, a popular theory advances, were formed when a small star sideswiped the sun, knocking debris from both stars into an orbit around the sun. The closer-in planets were formed from heavier elements, which included items to carbon. The outer planets were formed primarily from hydrogen/helium, and in one case, see next question, a small amount of iron and other matter.

2. Jupiter is expected to have a small central core of iron and has a powerful magnetic field in space. Saturn lacks this core. Jupiter's mass and density provides for a gravity about 2.6 times that of earth; Saturn has a gravity about that of earth, and a density below 1. Saturn has the pronounced rings, Jupiter has a smaller ring system, which may be due to the break-up of a small satellite, and which may disappear. Both planets have multiple moons.

3. They both have rings and appear to be made of the same frozen gases. They are about the same size.