Jovian Planets Vs. Terrestrial Planets

The classification of Pluto as a dwarf planet, by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), has left our solar system with only eight planets. On the basis of their characteristics, these eight planets in the solar system are categorized into two groups - terrestrial planets and the Jovian planets. The differences between these two types of planets can be observed on various fronts, including their position and composition. One of the most prominent differences between the Jovian and the terrestrial planets is the fact that the former are larger in size, while the later are comparatively smaller.

Jovian Planets: Gas Giants

The gas giants, popularly referred to as the Jovian planets, are the planets which are not composed of any solid matter. Technically speaking, the planets which have 10 times more mass than the Earth are classified as the Jovian planets. The examples in our solar system include planets like the Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. These planets are referred to as the Jovian planets owing to their stark resemblance to the planet Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. Other than these four planets in our solar system, several other gas giants have been discovered in outer space.

Terrestrial Planets: Inner Planets

Terrestrial planets, also known as the rocky planets or the telluric planets, are those planets which are predominantly composed of silicate rocks. The examples of terrestrial planets in the solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. These planets resemble the planet Earth to a significant extent, and hence they are referred to as 'Earth-like' or 'terrestrial' (derived from the Latin word the Earth - terra). Other than the Earth, and three other terrestrial planets in our solar system, the scientists have identified a number of planets with terrestrial traits in outer space.

Jovian Planets Vs. Terrestrial Planets

The basic difference between these two types of planets is their size. While the Jovian planets are gigantic, their terrestrial counterparts are considerably small in size. In fact, the smallest Jovian planet is 10 times larger than the planet Earth, which is the largest terrestrial planet. Even in terms of the mass, the Jovian planets score over the terrestrial planets with the smallest planet in this category having 15 times the mass of the Earth. The surface of the Jovian planets is made up of gases, while that of the terrestrial planets is made up of solid rock. The atmosphere of the terrestrial planets is predominantly made up of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, while that of the Jovian planets is made up of hydrogen and helium.

As far as the distance from the Sun is concerned, the terrestrial planets are closer to the Sun, and hence are referred to as inner planets, while the Jovian planets are farther, and hence are referred to as the outer planets. Surprisingly, however, the speed at which the outer planets rotate is much faster than that of the inner planets. The density of the terrestrial planets is five times that of water, while the density of the Jovian planets is as much as the density of water. Yet another point of difference between the two is related to the number of natural satellites. While the terrestrial planets either have none or a very few (Mercury-0, Venus-0, Earth-1 and Mars-2) natural satellites, the Jovian planets have a large number of them.

These were some of the most prominent points of distinction between the Jovian planets and the terrestrial planets. Among the various Earth-like planets, planet Mars has been a subject of fascination for the scientists fraternity across the world. Scientists believe that this planet resembles the Earth the most in terms of various aspects, and hence the probability of life existing on it, in some or the other form, cannot be dismissed entirely.