This is an image of Venus.
Click on image for full size
NASA/JPL
The Earliest History of Venus
The terrestrial planets formed about 4 Billion Years ago. As the process which formed them came to an end, the planets may have been left in either of the following two states:
- very warm, with a softer & pliable interior. Planets gain heat through radioactive elements inside. The planet separates into layers, and the heavy iron falls to the center of the planet to form a core. There is probably abundant water on the surface. There is probably volcanic activity as well as plate tectonics driven by the heat from inside.
- cold and rocky, needing to be warmed from the inside before activity is seen on the surface. The planet never separates into layers, the heavy iron stays near the surface, and the planet never forms a core.
With Venus, the first case is probably the most likely.
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