Final answer:
The giant planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, are known for their large sizes and thick atmospheres of hydrogen and helium. They have deep, non-solid layers and rapid rotation, with Jupiter being the most massive and exhibiting the strongest magnetic field.
Step-by-step explanation:
The description provided relates to the four outer planets of the Solar System, known as the giant planets or the Jovian planets, which includes Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These planets are characterized by their large sizes, deep atmospheres comprised mostly of hydrogen and helium, thick opaque clouds, and rapid rotation periods of about 10 to 17 hours. Jupiter, the largest of them, has a mass 318 times greater than that of Earth, while Saturn is about 25% as massive as Jupiter. Uranus and Neptune are considerably less massive, at only about 5% that of Jupiter's mass.
All four giant planets have a core that is approximately 10 Earth masses, composed of "ice" and "rock." Jupiter and Saturn are distinctive in that they have extensive mantles of liquid hydrogen and emit more energy from their interiors than they receive from the Sun, which is not the case with Uranus as it has no measurable internal heat source. The magnetic field of Jupiter is notably the strongest in the solar system, playing a role in creating its substantial magnetosphere.
Collectively, these four planets do not have solid surfaces but rather are made up of a combination of gases, liquids, and 'ices,' and they are sometimes misleadingly referred to as gas planets due to the gas form of hydrogen and helium under Earth-like conditions. However, the intense pressure within these planets compresses the hydrogen into a liquid state, suggesting that 'liquid planet' might be a more accurate descriptor for the nature of Jupiter and Saturn.