1. Mercury: The smallest and innermost planet, known for its extreme temperature swings.

2. Venus: The hottest planet, with a dense, toxic atmosphere.

3. Earth: Our home planet, with liquid water and a diverse biosphere.

4. Mars: The "Red Planet", known for its rusty surface and potential for past life.

Terrestrial planets are characterized by:

* Solid, rocky surfaces: Unlike gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, they are primarily composed of rock and metal.

* Relatively small size and mass: Compared to the gas giants, they are much smaller and less massive.

* Few or no moons: Most terrestrial planets have either no moons or only a few small ones.

* Thinner atmospheres: Compared to the gas giants, they have much thinner atmospheres.

These characteristics are a result of their formation closer to the Sun, where the intense heat and solar radiation prevented the accumulation of lighter elements like hydrogen and helium.