Order of planets by mass

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Order of Planets by Mass

Understanding the order of planets by mass in our solar system provides insights into planetary formation and dynamics. This article synthesizes research findings to present a clear picture of the mass hierarchy among the planets.

Jupiter: The Giant of the Solar System

Jupiter is the largest and most massive planet in our solar system. Its mass is approximately 318 times that of Earth, making it the dominant planet in terms of mass. This immense mass influences the orbits of other planets and contributes significantly to the overall gravitational dynamics of the solar system .

Saturn: The Ringed Giant

Following Jupiter, Saturn is the second most massive planet. It has a mass about 95 times that of Earth. Despite its lower density, Saturn's large volume contributes to its significant mass, which also plays a crucial role in the solar system's gravitational balance .

Uranus and Neptune: The Ice Giants

Uranus and Neptune, often referred to as the ice giants, come next in the mass hierarchy. Uranus has a mass approximately 14.5 times that of Earth, while Neptune is slightly more massive at about 17 times Earth's mass. These planets have similar compositions and are crucial for understanding the outer regions of the solar system 14.

Earth: The Largest Terrestrial Planet

Earth is the most massive of the terrestrial planets, with a mass that serves as a reference point for measuring other planetary masses. Its mass is significant enough to support a diverse range of life forms and maintain a stable atmosphere 14.

Venus: Earth's Twin

Venus, often called Earth's twin due to its similar size and composition, has a mass about 0.82 times that of Earth. Despite its similarities to Earth, Venus has a vastly different atmosphere and surface conditions 14.

Mars: The Red Planet

Mars, with a mass of about 0.11 times that of Earth, is the next in line. Its smaller mass compared to Earth and Venus has implications for its atmosphere and geological activity. Mars' mass and its position in the solar system have also been linked to theories about planetary migration and collisions 14.

Mercury: The Smallest Planet

Mercury is the smallest and least massive planet in the solar system, with a mass about 0.055 times that of Earth. Its proximity to the Sun and small size result in extreme temperature variations and a lack of substantial atmosphere 14.

Conclusion

The order of planets by mass in our solar system is a key factor in understanding their formation, evolution, and current dynamics. From the massive gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn to the smaller terrestrial planets like Earth and Mercury, each planet's mass plays a crucial role in the intricate gravitational dance of our solar system. This hierarchy not only helps in studying planetary characteristics but also in exploring the broader mechanisms of planetary systems beyond our own.

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Most relevant research papers on this topic

The Solar Planets Order Still Shows More Puzzles

The solar planets' order doesn't follow the gravitation equation, but Mars' immigration theory explains why the solar system's orbital distances differ from the gravitation equation.

Preprint

2020·

1citation

·Gerges Francis Tawdrous

Planetary mass function and planetary systems

Planetary mass functions should consider host star properties, and planets tend to cluster in systems rather than being lone ly children of their parent star.

2010·

10citations

·M. Dominik

Using deep neural networks to compute the mass of forming planets

Deep neural networks provide a more accurate and efficient method for computing the mass of forming planets than previous analytical formulas, reducing computational time and improving accuracy.

2019·

10citations

·Y. Alibert et al.

Masses for the seven planets in K2-32 and K2-233

This study confirms the rocky nature of two planets orbiting a young star with relatively short orbital periods, providing key information for planet formation and evolution models.

2020·

15citations

·J. Lillo-Box et al.

Free-floating Planet Mass Function from MOA-II 9 yr Survey toward the Galactic Bulge

The MOA-II survey suggests a total of 2113+23 free-floating planets with masses down to an Earth mass, suggesting they were ejected from bound planetary systems.

2023·

28citations

·T. Sumi et al.

THE MASS DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION OF PLANETS

The planet mass distribution function is peaked in logarithm of mass, with a peak value and standard deviation of 0.6 1.0 and 1.1 1.2, respectively, from the observed distribution of orbital separations.

2015·

26citations

·R. Malhotra

Relative sizes of the largest bodies during the accumulation of planets

The largest bodies during planet formation were comparable to the planet's mass, but the inverse power law found for small bodies is not valid for the largest ones, and their ratios increased with time.

Highly Cited

1969·

98citations

·V. Safronov et al.

An Earth-sized planet with an Earth-like density

Kepler-78b, a planet with a mass of 1.86 Earth masses, has a density similar to Earth's and is likely composed of iron and rock.

Highly Cited

2013·

170citations

·F. Pepe et al.

A DEFINITION FOR GIANT PLANETS BASED ON THE MASS–DENSITY RELATIONSHIP

The new definition of giant planets based on the slope of the mass-density relationship distinguishes low-mass objects from high-mass objects, making brown dwarfs and low-mass giant planets equivalent.

2015·

64citations

·A. Hatzes et al.

The Occurrence and Mass Distribution of Close-in Super-Earths, Neptunes, and Jupiters

23% of Sun-like stars harbor a close-in Earth-mass planet, indicating that planet formation models need revision, and suggesting that the predicted deficit of planets with masses 5 to 30 times that of Earth is well populated.

Highly Cited

2010·

484citations

·A. Howard et al.

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