Solar System

Jaret asked his father why the Earth and other planets stay in their orbit, and why are they are all round. Which of the following explanations correctly explains the two questions that Jaret asked? SC.8.E.5.4

• The planets stay in orbit because of the pull of gravity, the planets are rounded because the force of gravity cause the planets to become rounded.

• The planets stay in orbit because of the pull of gravity, the planets are rounded because other objects have continually hit them over time to cause them to be rounded.

• The planets stay in orbit because the Sun has a magnetic attraction that causes all of the planets to stay in orbit, the planets are rounded because the force of gravity caused the planets to become rounded.

• The planets stay in orbit because the Sun has a magnetic attraction that causes all of the planets to stay in orbit, the planets are rounded because other objects have continually hit them over time to cause them to be rounded.

The distance between objects, along with the masses of the objects, affect the gravitational force between the objects. Which claim can be supported by Newton’s law of universal gravitation? SC.8.E.5.4

• When the masses of objects increase, gravitational force decreases.

• When distance between objects increases, gravitational force decreases.

• When distance between objects decreases, gravitational force decreases.

• When the masses of objects decrease, the distance between objects decreases.

Which of these claims describes one way that technology assists humans with observing distant galaxies? SC.E.5.11

• Satellites that orbit distant stars relay information to Earth.

• Probes collect materials from distant stars for human analysis.

• Instruments on space shuttles make measurements of distant stars.

• Telescopes that orbit Earth collect data about the composition of distant stars.

The world’s largest infrared telescope is located in Hawaii. Which type of electromagnetic radiation does this telescope collect? SC.E.5.11

• wavelengths that are shorter than visible light

• wavelengths that are longer than radio waves

• wavelengths that are shorter than gamma rays

• wavelengths that are longer than ultraviolet light

Some planets have rings of ice and rock particles that orbit around their equators. Which of the following planets in the solar system have rings? SC.E.5.7

• Saturn only

• Jupiter and Saturn only

• Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus only

• Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune only

Using the table above, which object in the solar system has a greater distance from the Sun than Uranus and a higher surface temperature than Uranus? SC.E.5.7

• Earth

• Neptune

• Pluto

• Saturn

Using the table above, which of the following objects in the solar system is further from the Sun (in AU) than Uranus and also has less relative gravity than Uranus? SC.E.5.7

• Ceres

• Neptune

• Pluto

• Saturn

Use the table above, which object in the solar system has more moons than Mars and a longer orbit period around the Sun than Mars? SC.E.5.7

• Ceres

• Earth

• Pluto

• Uranus

Using the table above, which of the following objects in the solar system has less moons than Neptune and has a higher surface temperature than Neptune? SC.E.5.7

• Earth

• Jupiter

• Pluto

• Uranus

Early astronomers proposed many theories about the objects they saw in the sky. Using these theories, they tried to explain the location and movement of these objects. The diagram below shows one theory about Earth and its neighbors in space. SC.E.5.8

Which theory does this diagram illustrate?

• Ptolemy’s theory

• Aristotle’s theory

• geocentric theory

• heliocentric theory