Venus

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/venus

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 scientific classification?Terrestrial planet
2. What is the surface features?Extensive volcanic plains, shield volcanoes, impact craters, tesserae (complex deformed terrain)
3. What makes Venus the hottest planet in our solar system?Venus has a very thick atmosphere that is mostly carbon dioxide. The gas traps heat from the Sun, making the surface very hot—about 462 °C (863 °F).
4. Why does Venus spin in the opposite direction of most planets?Venus spins the opposite way to most planets, a motion called retrograde rotation. Scientists think it might be caused by big impacts or the Sun’s gravity pulling on the planet’s atmosphere.

Comparative Planetology: The study of planets by comparing their different structures, compositions, and histories.
Albedo: The measure of how much light a planet's surface or atmosphere reflects.
Photodissociation: The breakdown of molecules by light, particularly ultraviolet radiation.