What does the rotational period of a planet mean?
The rotation period of a celestial object (e.g., star, gas giant, planet, moon, asteroid) is as its sidereal rotation period i.e. the time that the object takes to complete a single revolution around its axis of rotation relative to the background stars, measured in sidereal time.
What determines the rotation period of a planet?
The rotation period (sidereal day) The rotational speed is normally determined by the initial angular momentum when the planet formed, but may also be altered subsequently by large collisions (as for example the collision of the earth with another planet which gave us our moon).
How long is a period of rotation?
Period of Rotation. The period of rotation of a Solar System object is the length of time it takes that object to spin once around on its axis. For example the Earth takes 24 hours to spin once around its axis. Its period of rotation is 24 hours or a day.
Which planet has the shortest rotation period?
Mercury has the shortest period of revolution (about 88 days), and Pluto has the longest (about 248 years).
What is different about the rotational periods between the two planet groups?
-While most planets rotate in the same direction they orbit, Uranus rotates nearly on its side and Venus rotates “backward” (clockwise rather than counter-clockwise).
Which planet has longest rotation period?
Venus
Venus has the longest rotation period (day) of all the major planets in the Solar System. While the Earth takes 23 hrs 56 mins 04 secs to complete one rotation, Venus takes 243.16 ‘Earth days’ to spin once through 360 degrees.
What is the only planet rotates clockwise?
There are only two planets in our solar system that rotate clockwise i.e. Uranus and Venus.
Which 2 planets do not have any moons?
Of the terrestrial (rocky) planets of the inner solar system, neither Mercury nor Venus have any moons at all, Earth has one and Mars has its two small moons. In the outer solar system, the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn and the ice giants Uranus and Neptune have dozens of moons.
What is difference between rotation and revolution?
“Rotation” refers to an object’s spinning motion about its own axis. “Revolution” refers the object’s orbital motion around another object. For example, Earth rotates on its own axis, producing the 24-hour day.
What is one difference between the inner 4 planets and the outer 4 planets?
The four inner planets have shorter orbits, slower spin, no rings, and they are made of rock and metal. The four outer planets have longer orbits and spins, a composition of gases and liquids, numerous moons, and rings. The outer planets are made of hydrogen and helium, so they are called gas giants.