Solar System

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What is the solar system?

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The solar system is a collection of celestial bodies, including the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, that are bound by gravity.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

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What is a planet?

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A planet is a large celestial body that orbits a star, is spherical in shape, and has cleared its orbit of other debris.

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What is the Sun?

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The Sun is a star at the center of the solar system that provides light and heat to the planets.

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What are the inner planets?

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The inner planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, which are rocky and closer to the Sun.

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What are the outer planets?

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The outer planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, which are gas giants and farther from the Sun.

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What is an orbit?

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An orbit is the path that a celestial body takes as it moves around another body in space due to gravitational forces.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

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What is a moon?

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A moon is a natural satellite that orbits a planet.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What is a star?

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A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity, which produces light and heat through nuclear fusion.

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What is the difference between a planet and a star?

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Planets do not produce their own light and orbit stars, while stars generate light and heat through nuclear fusion.

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What is an asteroid?

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An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun, primarily found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3