Which statement accurately describes the inner planets?
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer:
The inner planets are small, rocky, and have solid surfaces.
Explanation (300 words):
The inner planets, also known as terrestrial planets, include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. These four planets are located closest to the Sun and share several key characteristics that distinguish them from the outer planets.
The most accurate description of the inner planets is that they are small, dense, and rocky with solid surfaces. This is in contrast to the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune), which are much larger and made primarily of gases and ices.
Because of their solid surfaces, we can land spacecraft on the inner planets or take surface images, which has provided a lot of direct information about their geography, geology, and atmospheric conditions. For example, Earth supports life due to its atmosphere and liquid water, while Mars shows evidence that it may have had water in the past.
In terms of composition, inner planets have a core made of metal (like iron and nickel), surrounded by a rocky mantle and crust. Their atmospheres, if present, are thinner than those of the outer planets. For example, Mercury has almost no atmosphere, while Venus has a thick, toxic atmosphere dominated by carbon dioxide.
Another distinguishing feature is that inner planets have fewer or no moons and lack the ring systems found around the outer planets. Earth has one moon, Mars has two tiny moons, while Mercury and Venus have none.
In summary, the inner planets are rocky, smaller in size, have solid surfaces, and are located closer to the Sun. These features make them unique and fundamentally different from the gas giants and ice giants in the outer solar system.