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The gas giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) are much farther from the Sun than the inner planets, and so receive less solar heating. They are very hot in their interiors, however, due to compression from the large overlying atmosphere.

It is difficult to accurately theorize what their mass, size, and composition would be if they were in closer orbits, but they would have higher average temperatures. The second reason for the low average temperature of gas giants is their large diameter, with a greater volume of atmosphere farther from the layers that have higher compression and heat retention. Even for Earth, the majority of the atmosphere (in the higher altitudes) is extremely cold by surface standards.

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Laurie Hammes

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3y ago

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Why do gas giants generally lhave lower average temperaturers than the terrestrial planets?

they are farther from the sun


Why do gas giants generally have lower average temperatures then the than the terrestrial planets?

Gas giants generally have lower average temperatures than terrestrial planets due to their greater distance from the Sun, which results in less solar energy reaching them. Additionally, their thick atmospheres, composed mostly of hydrogen and helium, can trap heat but also allow for significant heat loss into space. Furthermore, gas giants often have higher internal heat from gravitational compression, but this is typically not enough to raise their average temperatures above those of the closer, rocky terrestrial planets.


Why do gas giants generally have lower average temperatures then the terrestri8al planets?

Gas giants generally have lower average temperatures than terrestrial planets due to their greater distance from the Sun, which results in less solar radiation reaching them. Additionally, their thick atmospheres, composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, can trap heat but do not retain it as effectively as the solid surfaces of terrestrial planets. Moreover, gas giants have significant internal heat sources from gravitational compression and residual heat from their formation, but this is often not enough to raise their average temperatures above those of the closer, solid terrestrial planets.


Why do gas giants generally have lower average temperatures than the?

Gas giants generally have lower average temperatures than terrestrial planets due to their greater distance from the Sun, which results in less solar energy absorbed. Additionally, their thick atmospheres, composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, do not retain heat as effectively as the rocky surfaces of terrestrial planets. This combination of distance and atmospheric composition contributes to their cooler overall temperatures.


Which are more dense gas giants or terrestrial planets?

Terrestrial planets are generally more dense than gas giants. Terrestrial planets, like Earth and Mars, are composed mainly of rock and metal, giving them higher densities. In contrast, gas giants, such as Jupiter and Saturn, have thick atmospheres made primarily of hydrogen and helium, which contribute to their lower overall density despite their massive size. Thus, while gas giants are larger, their composition results in lower density compared to terrestrial planets.


Why do gas giants have lower average temperatures?

Gas giants have lower average temperatures primarily due to their great distances from the Sun, which results in less solar energy reaching them. Additionally, their thick atmospheres, composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, can trap heat but are not as effective at retaining warmth compared to terrestrial planets. The internal heat generated by their formation and ongoing gravitational compression is often insufficient to raise their overall temperatures significantly. This combination of factors results in the lower average temperatures observed on gas giants.


How do Jovian and terrestrial planets compare?

Jovian planets are gas giants made mostly of hydrogen and helium, while terrestrial planets are rocky planets with solid surfaces. Jovian planets are much larger in size and have thick atmospheres, while terrestrial planets are smaller and have thinner atmospheres. Jovian planets have many moons and ring systems, while terrestrial planets have fewer moons and no rings.


Do the Jovian planets have lower average densities than the terrestrial planets?

Yes, the Jovian planets have lower average densities compared to the terrestrial planets. This is because the Jovian planets are mainly composed of gases and icy materials, while the terrestrial planets are composed of solid rock and metal.


Are Jovian planets temperatures higher than terrestrials?

Jovian planets, which include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, generally have lower average temperatures than terrestrial planets. This is primarily because Jovian planets are much farther from the Sun and have thick atmospheres that retain heat. However, they can have high temperatures deep within their atmospheres due to gravitational compression and internal heat sources. In contrast, terrestrial planets like Earth and Mars have higher surface temperatures due to their proximity to the Sun.


Why are gas giants larger than terrestrial planets?

The masses of the gas giants are greater, which would make them larger, and their gravity can hold more massive atmospheres. Due to limits on the compressibility of atmospheric gases, these atmospheres are very deep. The lower solar heating farther from the Sun also plays a role in allowing these planets to maintain a high percentage of their lighter gases (hydrogen, helium) than the inner planets. So, even without their atmospheres, the cores of gas giants would have greater diameters than the terrestrial planets. They are simply bigger planets.


How do the terrestrial planets differ from the Jovian planets?

The jovian planets have no solid ground just compressed gases the terrestrial planets have solid ground. The Jovian planets are named gas giants because they are farther then the sun and are not solid and the terrestrial planets are closer to the sun and do not have as much gases.


How does the make up the planets change as their distance from the sun increase?

As distance from the Sun increases, the composition of planets changes primarily due to temperature variations in the early solar system. Closer to the Sun, the high temperatures favor the formation of rocky planets like Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, which are composed mainly of metals and silicates. In contrast, the outer planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—are gas giants or ice giants, composed largely of lighter elements and compounds such as hydrogen, helium, and ices (water, ammonia, methane) that can condense at lower temperatures. This gradient creates a distinct division between terrestrial and jovian planets based on their distance from the Sun.