Ch.21 L4 Dwarf Planets

Front

What is a dwarf planet?

Back

A dwarf planet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun, is spherical in shape, but has not cleared its neighboring region of other objects.

Front

Name the four recognized dwarf planets in our solar system.

Back

Ceres, Pluto, Eris, and Makemake.

Front

Which dwarf planet is located in the asteroid belt?

Back

Ceres.

Front

What distinguishes Eris from other dwarf planets?

Back

Eris has the most distant orbit from the Sun and is one of the largest known dwarf planets.

Front

What is the primary characteristic of Pluto?

Back

Pluto is known for its complex atmosphere and its five known moons.

Front

How does the orbit of Makemake compare to Pluto's?

Back

Makemake has a more circular orbit compared to Pluto's elliptical orbit.

Front

What is the significance of the term 'cleared its orbit'?

Back

It refers to a planet's ability to dominate its orbital zone, unlike dwarf planets which share their orbits with other objects.

Front

What is the greenhouse effect?

Back

The greenhouse effect is the trapping of solar energy by a planet's atmosphere, leading to an increase in surface temperature.

Front

How does the greenhouse effect on Venus differ from Earth?

Back

Venus has a much stronger greenhouse effect due to its thick atmosphere, leading to extremely high surface temperatures.

Front

What happens to a meteoroid when it enters Earth's atmosphere?

Back

It typically burns up due to friction with the atmosphere, creating a meteor.