Subtypes Giant planet

1 subtypes

1.1 gas giants
1.2 ice giants
1.3 massive solid planets

subtypes
gas giants


saturn s north polar vortex

gas giants consist of hydrogen , helium. solar system s gas giants, jupiter , saturn, have heavier elements making between 3 , 13 percent of mass. gas giants thought consist of outer layer of molecular hydrogen, surrounding layer of liquid metallic hydrogen, probable molten core rocky composition.

jupiter , saturn s outermost portion of hydrogen atmosphere has many layers of visible clouds composed of water , ammonia. layer of metallic hydrogen makes bulk of each planet, , referred metallic because high pressure turns hydrogen electrical conductor. core thought consist of heavier elements @ such high temperatures (20,000 k) , pressures properties poorly understood.

ice giants

ice giants have distinctly different interior compositions gas giants. solar system s ice giants, uranus , neptune, have hydrogen-rich atmosphere extends cloud tops down 80% (uranus) or 85% (neptune) of radius. below this, predominantly icy , i.e. consist of water, methane, , ammonia. there rock , gas, various proportions of ice–rock–gas mimic pure ice, exact proportions unknown.

uranus , neptune have hazy atmospheric layers small amounts of methane, giving them aquamarine colors; light blue , ultramarine respectively. both have magnetic fields sharply inclined axes of rotation.

unlike other giant planets, uranus has extreme tilt causes seasons severely pronounced. 2 planets have other subtle important differences. uranus has more hydrogen , helium neptune despite being less massive overall. neptune therefore denser , has more internal heat , more active atmosphere. nice model, in fact, suggests neptune formed closer sun uranus did, , should therefore have more heavy elements.

massive solid planets

massive solid planets can exist. example, kepler-10c composed of of rock possibly 20% high-pressure water ice, have hydrogen-dominated envelope.

solid planets thousands of earth masses may able form around massive stars (b-type , o-type stars; 5–120 solar masses), protoplanetary disk contain enough heavy elements. also, these stars have high uv radiation , winds photoevaporate gas in disk, leaving heavy elements.

for comparison, neptune s mass equals 17 earth masses, jupiter has 318 earth masses, , 13 jupiter-mass limit used in iau s working definition of exoplanet equals approximately 4000 earth masses.