Why do Saturn and the other gas giants have rings? Hank reveals the Roche limit as the cause, the distance within which gas planets would fail to hold together due to their own gravity. At this particular distance, orbiting materials also break down and disperse to form rings of matter. For a few minutes, you can let Hank do the teaching for you!

Concepts

saturn, planets

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Additional Tags

saturn, gas giant, roche limit, science

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Classroom Considerations

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Unique in that it answers a common question at a middle school, rather than elementary, level
• Short and to the point
• Animated graphics help learners visualize concept

Cons

• None