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PIP’S STARHAVEN · ACTIVITY SHEET · CHILDREN

The hottest-world mystery

15 minutes · Paper · Pencil

Your investigation

  1. Write two hypotheses: “closest always means hottest” and “atmospheres can change temperature.”
  2. Draw Mercury near the Sun and Venus a little farther out. Give Venus a thick atmosphere label and Mercury a very thin exosphere label.
  3. Read the Mercury and Venus cards. Circle which hypothesis the comparison supports.
  4. Write a short evidence-based explanation for a younger explorer.

Think, draw, explain

Which world has the hotter surface overall?

What else, besides distance, should a temperature explanation consider?

Compare your explanation with the grown-up answer guide after you have tried.