Solar System - Science Olympiad
1. How did the terrestrial planets form?: In the proto-Solar System, after the sun formed, the
rest of the materials orbiting close around it began to clump together too. However, closer to the sun, lighter
materials like gases blew away and only rocky material was left, causing the four terrestrial planets, and some of their
moons, to form.
2. What are the characteristics of Terrestrial Planets?: Solid bodies with a core
surrounded by a mantle and crust. Comprised mostly of heavier materials, like rocks, stones, and heavy metals like
nickel and iron. They are smaller in size than the gas giants and very dense in comparison.
3. How old is the Solar System?: 4.6 billion years.
4. How did Mercury form?: Like the rest of the terrestrial planets, Mercury was formed 4.55 billion
years ago and is primarily rocky. After the sun's formation, the rocks and metals very close it began to come
together to form Mercury. However, all of Mercury's gases and atmosphere were blown away, leading to it being
small, but even more rocky than the other planets.
5. How did Venus form?: Venus, like Mercury, was formed by rocks and metals coming together to form
a large planet. However, solar winds are too weak to blow away Venus' atmosphere, and the heat has led to a
greenhouse gas effect, causing the planet to be especially hot, even more so than Mercury, though being further
,away.
6. How did Earth form?: Earth formed in the same way as the rest of the terrestrial planets. However,
another large body slammed into Earth (which used to be larger) and the material from that body and the chunk of
Earth blown off formed the moon, which is why is has such a large size in comparison to Earth.
7. How did Mars form?: Mars was most likely very similar to Earth, and it had formed the same way as
well. It possibly even had large oceans. However, for unknown reasons, they have dried up, leading to Mars'
nickname as "The Red Planet."
8. How did the Moon form?: Long ago, when the Earth was younger, and larger, another body
slammed into it. This body blew into pieces that began to orbit the Earth, along with chunks of Earth blown off
from the impact. Together, these formed the Moon, being responsible for its relatively large size.
9. What are the surface features of Mercury?: Mercury's surface is made of volcanic basalt
(a hint towards prior geologic activity) and is very smooth. However, Mercury has a no real atmosphere, allowing
almost any incoming asteroids to impact, though they are stopped by it's thick mantle. As a result, Mercury looks
like a smooth, dark grey planet peppered with large and small round imprints. Mercury also has ridges all across
it's surface. As the magma on Mercury cools, it shrinks, since solids are more compact than liquids. Mercury's
surface is also made up of intercrater plains, accounting for almost half of the planet's surface area. Intercrater plains
are made up of flatter lands containing older more shallow craters, while smooth plains are made up of newer land
, and more recent deeper craters. Smooth plains make up around 15% of mercury's surface
1. How did the terrestrial planets form?: In the proto-Solar System, after the sun formed, the
rest of the materials orbiting close around it began to clump together too. However, closer to the sun, lighter
materials like gases blew away and only rocky material was left, causing the four terrestrial planets, and some of their
moons, to form.
2. What are the characteristics of Terrestrial Planets?: Solid bodies with a core
surrounded by a mantle and crust. Comprised mostly of heavier materials, like rocks, stones, and heavy metals like
nickel and iron. They are smaller in size than the gas giants and very dense in comparison.
3. How old is the Solar System?: 4.6 billion years.
4. How did Mercury form?: Like the rest of the terrestrial planets, Mercury was formed 4.55 billion
years ago and is primarily rocky. After the sun's formation, the rocks and metals very close it began to come
together to form Mercury. However, all of Mercury's gases and atmosphere were blown away, leading to it being
small, but even more rocky than the other planets.
5. How did Venus form?: Venus, like Mercury, was formed by rocks and metals coming together to form
a large planet. However, solar winds are too weak to blow away Venus' atmosphere, and the heat has led to a
greenhouse gas effect, causing the planet to be especially hot, even more so than Mercury, though being further
,away.
6. How did Earth form?: Earth formed in the same way as the rest of the terrestrial planets. However,
another large body slammed into Earth (which used to be larger) and the material from that body and the chunk of
Earth blown off formed the moon, which is why is has such a large size in comparison to Earth.
7. How did Mars form?: Mars was most likely very similar to Earth, and it had formed the same way as
well. It possibly even had large oceans. However, for unknown reasons, they have dried up, leading to Mars'
nickname as "The Red Planet."
8. How did the Moon form?: Long ago, when the Earth was younger, and larger, another body
slammed into it. This body blew into pieces that began to orbit the Earth, along with chunks of Earth blown off
from the impact. Together, these formed the Moon, being responsible for its relatively large size.
9. What are the surface features of Mercury?: Mercury's surface is made of volcanic basalt
(a hint towards prior geologic activity) and is very smooth. However, Mercury has a no real atmosphere, allowing
almost any incoming asteroids to impact, though they are stopped by it's thick mantle. As a result, Mercury looks
like a smooth, dark grey planet peppered with large and small round imprints. Mercury also has ridges all across
it's surface. As the magma on Mercury cools, it shrinks, since solids are more compact than liquids. Mercury's
surface is also made up of intercrater plains, accounting for almost half of the planet's surface area. Intercrater plains
are made up of flatter lands containing older more shallow craters, while smooth plains are made up of newer land
, and more recent deeper craters. Smooth plains make up around 15% of mercury's surface
