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A terrestrial planet, telluric planet, solid planet, or rocky planet, is a planet that is composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals.

Structure[]

All terrestrial planets in the Solar System have the same basic structure, such as a central metallic core (mostly iron) with a surrounding silicate mantle.

Shellworlds are a mix of terrestrial and gas giant planets.[1]

Terrestrial planets can have surface structures such as canyons, craters, mountains, volcanoes, and others, depending on the presence at any time of an erosive liquid or tectonic activity or both.

Terrestrial planets have secondary atmospheres, generated by volcanic out-gassing or from comet impact debris. This contrasts with the outer, giant planets, whose atmospheres are primary; primary atmospheres were captured directly from the original solar nebula.

References[]

  1. Matter, chapter 4