Jupiter has a "gaseous" hydrogen outer layer, and Saturn has a "molecular" one? Gaseous hydrogen is molecular hydrogen (on Earth, anyways). Do they mean H gas vs. H2 gas?
Jupiter has a "rocky" core? What does that mean? What elements is it made of to constitute being rocky? And at those temperatures and pressures, shouldn't it be quite unlike anything we know as "rock?"
I know on Earth we can determine the size, composition, and physical state of our planet's core using seismography. Without that as an available tool for the other planets, how do we know the composition of the other planets' cores? Are we just basing it off of simulation/theory? Wouldn't spectroscopy tell us only about the composition of the surface?
![image showing An illustration of the cores of the planets of our Solar System. [1536 × 2048]](acc66236-b1dd-58d6-b8fa-6ef46548bab4.jpg)
Staegrin on June 20th, 2017 at 13:15 UTC »
Does anyone have a higher resolution version? Can't read the fine print.
Buckwheat469 on June 20th, 2017 at 13:16 UTC »
Athmosphere? I've never theen that word before.
azura26 on June 20th, 2017 at 13:42 UTC »
A few questions I have:
Jupiter has a "gaseous" hydrogen outer layer, and Saturn has a "molecular" one? Gaseous hydrogen is molecular hydrogen (on Earth, anyways). Do they mean H gas vs. H2 gas?
Jupiter has a "rocky" core? What does that mean? What elements is it made of to constitute being rocky? And at those temperatures and pressures, shouldn't it be quite unlike anything we know as "rock?"
I know on Earth we can determine the size, composition, and physical state of our planet's core using seismography. Without that as an available tool for the other planets, how do we know the composition of the other planets' cores? Are we just basing it off of simulation/theory? Wouldn't spectroscopy tell us only about the composition of the surface?