Why are planets different sizes?

The simple action of gravity explains why planets, stars and other bodies grow larger, because more massive bodies attract smaller objects to them.Mar 2, 2016

Why are some planets larger than others?

One of the factors that affect the size of a larger planet is the temperature. … They're also huge planets because it is easier compared to the smaller planets to gain mass since the bigger it is, the more gravity it has, which makes it easier to pull in gas, which is what the larger planets are made out of.

Why are planets not the same size?

The gas planets collected more of the remaining materials (in the form of moons and rings), and left the smaller rocky planets of the inner Solar System without gas to form around them, thus making smaller planets, and larger ones.

Why are planets big and small?

As the planet gets closer to the star, its atmosphere heats up, causing the atoms and molecules to move very fast and escape the planet's gravitational pull. … So, while there are no super huge rocky planets or small fluffy planets, there is still a huge amount of diversity in planet sizes, geometries and compositions.

How do planets get bigger?

Planets can gain mass by being hit by asteroids, comets, and other planets. Most of this happens in the early history of a star system; later on, there aren't enough massive objects to hit the planets anymore to make them grow appreciably.

How are planets different from each other?

Planets come in different sizes and so have different gravity levels. Mars is smaller than Earth so has less gravity. On Mars you weigh less and would be able to carry more. Smaller planets are also less likely to have an atmosphere, as there may not be enough gravity to hold the gases to the surface.

Why are planets so big?

All of the planets are round because of gravity. When our Solar System was forming, gravity gathered billions of pieces of gas and dust into clumps which grew larger and larger to become the planets. … The spinning force acts against gravity and causes many planets to bulge out more around their equators.

Why gravity is different on different planets?

That's because the planets weigh different amounts, and therefore the force of gravity is different from planet to planet. For example, if you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you would weigh only 38 pounds on Mercury. That's because Mercury weighs less than Earth, and therefore its gravity would pull less on your body.

How is Earth different from other planets?

How is Earth different from other planets? It differs from the other planets because it has liquid water on its surface, maintains life, and has active plate movement. It rotates on its axis every 24 hours (a day) and revolves around the Sun every 365 days (a year). The Earth has one moon.