This key facts covers Structure of Our Solar System within Our Solar System for GCSE Physics. Revise Our Solar System in Space Physics for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 3 of 6 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 3 of 6
Practice
13 questions
Recall
12 flashcards
📚 Structure of Our Solar System
The Sun:
- A main sequence star — fusing hydrogen into helium
- Contains 99.8% of the solar system's mass
- Diameter: ~1.4 million km (109× Earth)
- Surface temperature: ~5,500°C; Core: ~15 million°C
The Planets (in order from Sun):
| Planet | Type | Key Features | Orbital Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Rocky | Smallest, no atmosphere, extreme temperatures | 88 days |
| Venus | Rocky | Hottest (greenhouse effect), rotates backwards | 225 days |
| Earth | Rocky | Liquid water, life, 1 moon | 365 days |
| Mars | Rocky | Red planet, thin atmosphere, 2 moons | 687 days |
| Jupiter | Gas giant | Largest, Great Red Spot, 95+ moons | 12 years |
| Saturn | Gas giant | Spectacular rings, 146+ moons | 29 years |
| Uranus | Ice giant | Tilted on side, blue-green colour | 84 years |
| Neptune | Ice giant | Furthest, strongest winds, blue colour | 165 years |
💡 Memory trick: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos