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Facts About the Density of the Planets

Density is the ratio between the mass of an object and its volume, or simply how much stuff there is in a given space. Unsurprisingly, the densest planets in the solar system are the inner terrestrial planets while the outer gas giants have the least density. While the gas giants have substantially more mass than the terrestrial planets, they also occupy a much greater volume given their gaseous nature.
  1. Mercury

    • Mercury is the second most dense planet in the solar system at 5.427 g/cm3. Mercury, Venus and Earth all have densities greater than 5 g/cm3. Densities in this range are associated with planets with a large amount of iron in their core.

    Venus

    • The closest planet in size, mass and gravity to Earth, Venus has a similar density at 5.243 g/cm3. Despite Venus seeming to have a core similar in composition to Earth's, the weak magnetic field of Venus has led some scientific models to suggest the core of Venus has solidified.

    Earth

    • Earth is the densest planet in the solar system at 5.513 g/cm3. Earth's core is 90 percent iron with sulfur, nickel or oxygen comprising the remaining 10 percent. Seismic studies indicate Earth's solid inner core is encompassed by a liquid outer core surrounded by a mantle of silicates and finally a thin crust at the surface. The core is substantially more dense than the outer layers of the Earth.

    Mars

    • While Mercury, Venus and Earth have similar densities, Mars is the anomaly of the inner planets with a density of only 3.943 g/cm3. This indicates Mars has more rock and less iron than the other inner planets.

    Jupiter

    • The largest and most massive planetary member of this solar system has a density of 1.326 g/cm3. Jupiter has a mass nearly 318 times greater than the Earth. However, this mass is spread out over a volume more than 1,300 times greater than the Earth giving Jupiter a density of about one-fourth that of Earth's.

    Saturn

    • Saturn is the least dense of all the planets at 0.687 g/cm3. This density is substantially less than water, meaning that Saturn would float on water, assuming there was a body of water large enough. Although Saturn has a similar composition to Jupiter, Saturn does not have enough gravity to compress its gases in the way Jupiter has.

    Uranus

    • Uranus has a density close to Jupiter's at 1.270 g/cm3, but has a mass and volume about one-fifth that of Jupiter. Jupiter's immensity allows its gravity to compress its gases into a much smaller core. Uranus does not have the gravitational pull to compress gases in such a way, leading astronomers to hypothesize a rocky core in the center of Uranus and Neptune.

    Neptune

    • Substantially smaller than Jupiter or Saturn, Neptune is nonetheless the densest of the gas giants at 1.638 g/cm3, yet this is till only about one-third of Earth's. Close to mass and volume of Uranus, Neptune's density also indicates that this planet contains more heavier elements than Jupiter and Saturn.


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