What determines the surface temperature of a planet?

The surface temperature of a terrestrial planet is determined by how much energy the planet receives from the Sun and how quickly it radiates that solar energy back to space. As described in a later section, a terrestrial planet’s interior temperature is determined by its size.

How does atmospheric pressure affect surface temperature?

Air pressure is influenced by temperature because, as the air is warmed, the molecules start moving around more, so they bump into each other more often and create more pressure. But, air pressure also affects temperature – the more those molecules bump into each other, the more heat they generate.

How does an atmosphere affect a planet’s temperature?

The composition of a planet’s atmosphere also influences its temperature, particularly the concentration of greenhouse gases present. The Earth converts solar radiation in the visible spectrum to infrared radiation, which it emits; greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation and warm the atmosphere.

What causes atmospheric pressure on the surface of Earth?

Air pressure is caused by the weight of the air molecules above. This pressure causes air molecules at the Earth’s surface to be more tightly packed together than those that are high in the atmosphere.

What are the surface temperatures of the planets?

The average temperatures of planets in our solar system are:

• Mercury – 800°F (430°C) during the day, -290°F (-180°C) at night.
• Venus – 880°F (471°C)
• Earth – 61°F (16°C)
• Mars – minus 20°F (-28°C)
• Jupiter – minus 162°F (-108°C)
• Saturn – minus 218°F (-138°C)
• Uranus – minus 320°F (-195°C)
• Neptune – minus 331°F (-201°C)

How does pressure affect temperature?

In a closed system where volume is held constant, there is a direct relationship between Pressure and Temperature. For example, when the pressure increases then the temperature also increases. When the pressure decreases, then the temperature decreases.

Why are the planets different temperatures?

Planetary surface temperatures tend to get colder the farther a planet is from the Sun. Venus is the exception, as its proximity to the Sun and dense atmosphere make it our solar system’s hottest planet.

What is the temperature for each planet?

Surface temperatures of the inner rocky planets

Mercury	– 275 °F (- 170°C)	+ 840 °F (+ 449°C)
Venus	+ 870 °F (+ 465°C)	+ 870 °F (+ 465°C)
Earth	– 129 °F (- 89°C)	+ 136 °F (+ 58°C)
Moon	– 280 °F (- 173°C)	+ 260 °F (+ 127°C)
Mars	– 195 °F (- 125°C)	+ 70 °F (+ 20°C)

Does atmospheric pressure change with temperature?

Air pressure can also change with the temperature. Warm air rises resulting in lower pressure. On the other hand, cold air will sink making the air pressure higher.

How does the atmosphere affect the surface temperature on other planets?

The table provides evidence that an atmosphere has a pronounced effect on the temperature at the planetary surface, causing it to be warmer than predicted by the simple black body model. Venus, with a thick atmosphere, has a surface temperature about 500 K above the prediction. The Earth, with a thinner atmosphere, has a mild 33 K warming.

What is the relationship between atmospheric pressure and weather?

Atmospheric pressure is an indicator of weather. When a low-pressure system moves into an area, it usually leads to cloud iness, wind, and precipitation. High-pressure system s usually lead to fair, calm weather. A barometer measures atmospheric pressure, which is also called barometric pressure.

Why is the atmospheric pressure on Venus 90x higher than Earth?

The pressure of Venus’s atmosphere is about 90x greater than that on earth. It also happens to be about 90x more dense that that on earth. Coincidence? No. The density is the reason the pressure is so high. If you were to descend 1 km into one of our oceans, the pressure would be comparable to that of the Venusian atmosphere.

Do two identical planets with the same atmosphere have different temperatures?

As a thought experiment, if you took two planets that were identical in every way except that one had a thicker atmosphere than the other, the one with the thicker atmosphere would have higher surface temps than its twin, even if global warming were not a factor.