Which terrestrial planet has the densest atmosphere

Therefore, its high density is believed to be the result of a large, and iron-rich core. Several theories for this have been suggested, but the predominant one claims that Mercury had a thicker silicate crust earlier in its history.

This crust was then largely blown off when a large planetesimal collided with the planet. Combined with its size and mass, Mercury has a surface gravity of 3. The second planet from our Sun, as well as the second-closest terrestrial planet, Venus has a mean density of 5.

Also like Earth, the interior is though to be composed of iron-rich minerals, while silicate minerals make up the mantle and crust. However, the lack of a magnetosphere around Venus has led scientists to question this, with some claiming that the core must be uniform in temperature, while others insist it is fully cooled and solid.

Some has gone so as far as to suggest that it has no core. Earth has the highest density of any planet in the Solar System, at 5. This is also used as a the standard one g when measuring the surface gravity of other planets. These layers consist of a core composed of iron and nickel, an upper and lower mantle composed of viscous silicate materials, and a crust composed of solid silicate materials.

Jupiter likely has three distinct cloud layers composed of ammonia, ammonium hydrosulfide and water in its "skies" that, taken together, span an altitude range of about 44 miles 71 kilometers. The planet's fast rotation—spinning once every 10 hours—creates strong jet streams, separating its clouds into dark belts and bright zones wrapping around the circumference of the planet. Its winds are among the fastest in the solar system, reaching speeds of 1, miles 1, kilometers per hour.

Saturn may be the only planet in our solar system with a warm polar vortex a mass of swirling atmospheric gas around the pole at both the North and South poles. Another uniquely striking feature is a hexagon-shaped jet stream encircling the North Pole.

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Finish Editing. Delete Quiz. Question 1. Which planet has the most moons? Question 2. Clouds in Mercury's atmosphere reflect sunlight back into space and keep its surface cool. Carbon dioxide in Venus's atmosphere traps heat radiating from its surface thereby making it warmer.

Venus is closer to the Sun. Venus's rapid rotation generates strong winds that heat the ground by friction as they blow.

Mostly water droplets.