Mars and Jupiter: Big and Small Planet — Reading Comprehension

Mars and Jupiter are two planets in our solar system, but they are very different from each other. One of the biggest differences between them is their size. Mars is called the “Red Planet” because of its reddish color, which comes from iron dust on its surface. It is much smaller than Earth. In fact, you could fit more than six Mars planets inside Earth! Jupiter, on the other hand, is the largest planet in our solar system. It is so big that more than 1,300 Earths could fit inside it!

Jupiter is made mostly of gas and does not have a solid surface like Mars or Earth. Mars is a rocky planet with mountains, valleys, and even the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons. Jupiter has thick, swirling clouds and a famous storm called the Great Red Spot, which is bigger than Earth and has lasted for hundreds of years.

The size of a planet affects its gravity. Gravity is a force that pulls things toward the center of a planet. Jupiter’s gravity is much stronger than Mars’s gravity because Jupiter is so massive. For example, if you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you would weigh about 38 pounds on Mars, but on Jupiter, you would weigh more than twice as much as on Earth!

Jupiter’s strong gravity helps protect Earth. It pulls in many asteroids and comets that could otherwise crash into our planet. Mars, with its thin atmosphere, does not have this ability. Scientists study both planets to learn more about how planets form and why they are so different.

Interesting Fact: Jupiter has at least 95 moons, while Mars has only two tiny moons named Phobos and Deimos.

Which planet is called the Red Planet?

What is Jupiter mostly made of?

How many moons does Mars have?

Why is Jupiter's gravity strong?

What protects Earth from asteroids?

What is the Great Red Spot?

Jupiter is smaller than Mars.

What does 'atmosphere' mean?