Atmosphere of Neptune

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/atmosphere-of-neptune

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the maximum wind velocity?Recorded speeds up to 2,100 km/h (1,300 mph), significantly supersonic
2. What makes Neptune's sky blue?Methane in Neptune's air absorbs red and infrared light and reflects blue light, giving the planet its bright blue color.
3. How fast do the winds on Neptune blow?Neptune's winds can reach up to 2,100 kilometers per hour, which is faster than the speed of sound on Earth.

Ice Giant: A type of giant planet composed primarily of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, such as oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, in icy or fluid forms.
Convection: The transfer of heat through the movement of a fluid (liquid or gas) due to differences in density caused by temperature variations.
Solar Insolation: The amount of solar radiation (sunlight) received per unit area at a given location.
Anticyclonic Region: A large-scale atmospheric circulation system characterized by inward-spiraling winds around a high-pressure center, moving in a direction opposite to the planet's rotation.