Gravity & Our Solar System

Front

What is a meteorite?

Back

A meteorite is a solid fragment of a meteoroid that survives its passage through the Earth's atmosphere and lands on the surface of the Earth.

Front

What factors determine the strength of the force of gravity?

Back

The strength of the force of gravity depends on the mass of the objects and the distance between them.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Front

What would happen to stars and planets without gravity?

Back

Without gravity, stars, planets, and all objects in the universe would move in a straight line.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Front

Which planet in our solar system is considered the most likely place to observe for life?

Back

Planet C (often interpreted as Earth or a hypothetical exoplanet depending on context).

Front

What is the Oort Cloud?

Back

The Oort Cloud is a spherical shell surrounding the solar system that extends from about 10,000 to 100,000 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Front

Define gravity.

Back

Gravity is a natural phenomenon by which all things with mass are brought toward one another, including planets, stars, galaxies, and even light.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Front

What is the role of gravity in the formation of planets?

Back

Gravity pulls together gas and dust in space to form planets, stars, and other celestial bodies.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Front

How does distance affect gravitational force?

Back

The gravitational force decreases as the distance between two objects increases; it follows an inverse square law.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

Front

What is the difference between a meteoroid, meteor, and meteorite?

Back

A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space; a meteor is the streak of light produced when a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere; a meteorite is a meteoroid that survives the atmosphere and lands on Earth.

Front

What is the significance of the gravitational constant (G)?

Back

The gravitational constant (G) is a key quantity in Newton's law of universal gravitation, which quantifies the strength of the gravitational force between two masses.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4