1. Which of the following planets are likely to have an atmosphere, and why (or

Question

1.Which of the following planets are likely to have an atmosphere, and why (or why not)? How would the atmosphere form?

Mass: 20 Earth masses, Distance: 20 AU

Mass: 0.02 Earth masses, Distance: 1 AU

Mass: 0.1 Earth masses, Distance: 0.7 AU

Mass: 100 Earth masses, Distance: 1.5 AU

Mass: 1 Earth masses, Distance: 5 AU

Note: You will need to discuss all 5 of these planets. The last 2 planets seem to be very different from planets in our own solar system, so you should make some comments about what you are assuming about the history of these planets (what is the planet likely made of? did it form where it is or move there?) as part of your explanations.

Explanation / Answer

Fillowing planets can have an atmosphere:

Mass: 20 Earth masses, Distance: 20AU
Likely Uranus or Neptune.

Mass: 100 Earth masses, Distance: 1.5 AU
Likely a warm saturn.


Mass: 1 Earth masses, Distance: 5 AU
Bigger, slightly warmer titan.
These probably don't have atmospheres.

This one is like the moon, except it doesn't orbit an Earth.
Mass: 0.02 Earth masses, Distance: 1 AU

This one is like putting Mars where Venus is.
Mass: 0.1 Earth masses, Distance: 0.7 AU

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