Terrestrial planets

planets

• mercury

• venus

• earth

• mars

• moon

how are they formed

solar nebula

mercury

possible lava flows, volcanic rocks

venus

volcanoes, lava flow

earth

volcanoes, lava flows, volcanic rock

moon

lava flow, volcanic rocks

mars

volcanoes, lava flow, volcanic rock

motion on surface

mercury

no evidence

motion on surface

earth

• earthquakes

• mountains

• crust moves vertically and horizontal

motion on surfaces

venus

• limit motions

• volcanoes → plate motion

• no ocean vs. continent

• minor rifts

• position episode resurfacing by volcanism

motion on surfaces

mars

• no crustal motions

• rifting

• huge volcanoes → plate motion

• no motion away from heat source

• crustal dichotomy

most common surface feature

craters

water?

earth

• weather

• water cycle

• erosion

• oceans

• ice

• glaciers

water?

mars

• water

• ice

• wet past evidence

atomsphere

earth

• greenhouse effect

atmosphere

venus

• dense

• corrosive

• runaway greenhouse effect

• hot

atmosphere

mars

• very thin

• dust storms

• thin clouds