HMH Unit 3 The Solar System And The Universe

Planets are classified as either inner planets or outer planets based on their distance from the sun. What is found between the inner planets and the outer planets?

• asteroids

• comets

• moon

• stars

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The figure above shows the eight planets in our solar system.
Which of the following planets has a large solid core?

• Jupiter

• Mercury

• Neptune

• Saturn

Answer explanation

Li-Chen is creating a notebook with diagrams for each of the different kinds of galaxies.

What label should Li-Chen use for the galaxy shown above?

• Elliptical

• Barred Spiral

• Spiral

• Irregular

Some galaxies have symmetrical shapes. Other galaxies are not symmetrical.

What term do astronomers use to describe a galaxy such as the one shown in the illustration?

• Elliptical

• Barred Spiral

• Spiral

• Irregular

All visible stars in the night sky are many times larger than Earth. What claim explains why they look like tiny points of light?

• They are moving very fast.

• The atmosphere blocks most of their light.

• The stars visible at night are located very far from Earth.

• Most of the light from stars is absorbed by galaxies, so it does not reach Earth.

When compared to other stars, the sun is not very unusual. However, the sun is very important to humans. What makes the sun more important than the other stars?

• Unlike other stars, the sun is very large.

• When compared to other stars, the sun is the hottest.

• Unlike other stars, the sun is the right color for living things.

• When compared to other stars, the sun is very close to Earth.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Which of these characteristics distinguishes the outer planets from the inner planets?

• The outer planets all have moons.

• The outer planets orbit in a different direction.

• The outer planets have higher densities.

• The outer planets have smaller diameters.

A meteoroid is a chunk of rock traveling through the solar system. How is a meteorite related to a meteoroid?

• A meteorite is a meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere.

• A meteorite is a meteoroid that has broken into smaller pieces.

• A meteorite is a meteoroid that is larger in size than an asteroid.

• A meteorite is a meteoroid that reaches the surface of Earth.

While looking at the sky one night, Bevan saw a streak of light. Bevan’s father told him that the light was produced by a small chunk of rock passing through Earth’s atmosphere. Which of these terms best describes what Bevan saw?

• comet

• asteroid

• meteor

• meteorite

The diagram above shows a planet and the sun.

What does the arrow on the diagram show?

• how the planet rotates on its axi

• the gaseous nature of the planet

• why the planet has seasons

• how the planet revolves around the sun

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1