SOLAR SYSTEM VOCABULARY

SOLAR SYSTEM VOCABULARY #1

by DeAnn Shelby

​ACCRETION

​gradual accumulation of mass

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS ACCRETION?

• Gradual accumulation of WEIGHT

• Gradual accumulation of GRAVITY

• Gradual accumulation of HYDROGEN

• Gradual accumulation of MASS

​ROTATION

​

​

​

an object rotating around AN AXIS through the center of the object.

​

​

​

​

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS ROTATION?

• an object rotating around AN AXIS through the center of the object.

• an object rotating around A PLANET through the center of the planet.

• an object rotating around THE SUN through the center of the Sun.

• an object rotating around A MOON through the center of the moon.

​REVOLUTION

​- movement of an object around another object like a star.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS REVOLUTION?

• movement of an object NEXT TO another object like a star.

• movement of an object AROUND another object like a star.

• movement of an object SMASHING another object like a star.

• movement of an object COLLIDING INTO another object like a star.

​ASTRONOMICAL UNIT

​= distance from the Sun to Earth = 1 ASTRONOMICAL UNIT

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS AN ASTRONOMICAL UNIT?

• distance from the SUN to EARTH

• distance from the SUN TO MARS

• distance from the SUN  TO MERCURY

• distance from the SUN TO VENUS

SOLAR SYSTEM VOCABULARY #2

Investigations #1-3

by DeAnn Shelby

​

the appearance that a planet moves in the opposite direction of other planets.

​Retrograde Motion

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS RETROGRADE MOTION?

• the appearance that THE SUN moves in the opposite direction of other planets.

• the appearance that STARS moves in the opposite direction of other planets.

• the appearance that A PLANET moves in the opposite direction of other planets.

• the appearance that AN ASTEROID moves in the opposite direction of other planets.

​an oval shape where the sum of the distances from two fixed points is a constant value.

​Ellipse

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS AN ELLIPSE?

• an oval shape where the SUM of the distances from ONE fixed point is a constant value.

• an oval shape where the SUM of the distances from THREE fixed points is a constant value.

• an oval shape where the SUM of the distances from FOUR fixed points is a constant value.

• an oval shape where the SUM of the distances from TWO fixed points is a constant value.

​Major Axis - the centerline of the LONGEST part of an ellipse.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS THE MAJOR AXIS OF AN ELLIPSE?

• the centerline of the LONGEST part of an ellipse.

• the centerline of the SHORTEST part of an ellipse.

• the centerline of the MIDDLE of an ellipse.

• the centerline of the DIAGONAL of an ellipse.

​Minor Axis - the centerline of the SHORTEST part of an ellipse.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS THE MINOR AXIS OF AN ELLIPSE?

• the centerline of the LONGEST part of an ellipse.

• the centerline of the DIAGONAL  of an ellipse.

• the centerline of the MIDDLE of an ellipse.

• the centerline of the SHORTEST part of an ellipse.

​Semimajor axis

​one-half of the Major Axis.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS THE SEMI-MAJOR AXIS OF AN ELLIPSE?

• one-half of the MINOR Axis.

• one-half of the MAJOR Axis.

• one-half of the MIDDLE Axis.

• one-half of the MONSTER Axis.

​Semiminor axis

​one-half of the minor axis.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS THE SEMI-MINOR AXIS OF AN ELLIPSE?

• one-half of the MINOR Axis.

• one-half of the MAJOR Axis.

• one-half of the MIDDLE Axis.

• one-half of the DIAGONAL Axis.

​the fixed points in an ellipse.

​Foci (Focus)

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS THE FOCI (FOCUS) OF AN ELLIPSE?

• - the DIAGONAL points in an ellipse.

• - the FIXED points in an ellipse.

• - the MIDDLE points in an ellipse.

• - the OUTER points in an ellipse.

​Vertex

​endpoint of the Major Axis

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS THE VERTEX OF AN ELLIPSE?

• MIDDLEPOINT of the MAJOR Axis

• MIDDLEPOINT of the minor Axis

• ENDPOINT of the minor Axis

• ENDPOINT of the MAJOR Axis

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS THE VERTEX OF AN ELLIPSE?

• MIDDLEPOINT of the MAJOR Axis

• MIDDLEPOINT of the minor Axis

• ENDPOINT of the minor Axis

• ENDPOINT of the MAJOR Axis

​Opposition

​when the Earth is between the Sun and another planet.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS "OPPOSITION" RELATED TO THE SOLAR SYSTEM?

• when the EARTH is between the SUN and another planet.

• when the SUN is between the EARTH and another planet.

• when the SUN is between the MARS and another planet.

• when the SUN is between the VENUS and another planet.

​Eccentricity

​measurement of how circular an orbit is. Zero (0) is a circle. Or how elliptical is an orbit.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS ECCENTRICITY OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM?

• measurement of how CIRCULAR an orbit is. Zero (0) is a circle. Or how ELLIPTICAL is an orbit.

• measurement of how TRIANGULAR an orbit is. Zero (0) is a circle. Or how ELLIPTICAL is an orbit.

• measurement of how SQUARE an orbit is. Zero (0) is a circle. Or how ELLIPTICAL is an orbit.

• measurement of how RECTANGULAR an orbit is. Zero (0) is a circle. Or how ELLIPTICAL is an orbit.

​Perihelion

​point where an orbiting body is the CLOSEST to the SUN.

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of Perihelion?

• point where an orbiting body is the FURTHEST from the SUN.

• point where an orbiting body is the CLOSEST to the SUN.

• point where an orbiting body is the HALFWAY  to the SUN.

• point where an orbiting body is the AROUND the SUN.

​Aphelion

​point where an orbiting body is the FURTHEST from the SUN.

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of Aphelion?

• point where an orbiting body is the FURTHEST from the SUN.

• point where an orbiting body is the CLOSEST to the SUN.

• point where an orbiting body is the HALFWAY  to the SUN.

• point where an orbiting body is the AROUND the SUN.

SOLAR SYSTEM VOCABULARY #3

Investigations #4&5

by DeAnn Shelby

​Force

​push or pull acting on an object

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS FORCE?

• FLATTENING of an object

• CIRCULATION of an object

• PUSH OR PULL acting on an object

• HOLDING of an object

​rate an object speeds up, slows down, or changes direction.

​Acceleration

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS ACCELERATION?

• COLOR OF an object speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.

• RATE an object speeds up, slows down, or changes direction.

• SHADE OF an object speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.

• PICTURE OF an object speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.

​Centripetal force - a force that pulls an orbiting object INWARD. A force that makes an object take a CURVED path.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS CENTRIPETAL FORCE?

• a force that pulls an orbiting object OUTWARD. A force that makes an object take a STRAIGHT path.

• a force that pulls an orbiting object INWARD. A force that makes an object take a CURVED path.

• a force that pulls an orbiting object OUTWARD. A force that makes an object take a CURVED path.

• a force that pulls an orbiting object INWARD. A force that makes an object take a STRAIGHT path.

​Vectors - an object that has a MEASUREMENT and a DIRECTION. Force, velocity, and acceleration are vectors.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS A VECTOR?

• an object that has a MEASUREMENT.  Force, velocity, and acceleration are vectors.

• an object that has a a DIRECTION. Force, velocity, and acceleration are vectors.

• an object that has a MEASUREMENT and a DIRECTION. Force, velocity, and acceleration are vectors.

• an object that has a MEASUREMENT DIRECTION, AND POWER. Force, velocity, and acceleration are vectors.

​Tangential Velocity the SPEED of an object traveling IN A CIRCLE if it were to travel in a STRAIGHT LINE.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS TANGENTIAL VELOCITY?

• the SPEED of an object traveling IN A SQUARE if it were to travel in a STRAIGHT LINE.

• the SPEED of an object traveling IN A CIRCLE if it were to travel on a CURVY LINE.

• the SPEED of an object traveling IN A CIRCLE if it were to travel in a DIAGONAL LINE.

• the SPEED of an object traveling IN A CIRCLE if it were to travel in a STRAIGHT LINE.

​Centripetal acceleration

 acceleration of an object traveling in a circular path.

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS CENTRIPETAL ACCELERATION?

• acceleration of an object traveling in a DIAGONAL path.

• acceleration of an object traveling in a CIRCULAR path.

• acceleration of an object traveling in a RECTANGULAR path

• acceleration of an object traveling in an OVAL path.