Gr. 6 - DCA 6: Gravity and the Solar System

There are many small astronomical bodies in the Kuiper Belt, a region of the Solar System that lies beyond Neptune. These astronomical bodies orbit the Sun. What is the most likely reason these astronomical bodes orbit the sun?

• The Sun exerts the only gravitational pull on these astronomical bodies

• Neptune, which orbits the sun, exerts a weak centripetal force one these astronomical bodies

• The sun exerts a strong gravitational pull on these astronomical bodies

• Neptune, which orbits the sun, exerts a strong magnetic pull on these astronomical bodies

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Today, it is understood that the planets in Earth’s solar system follow elliptical orbits-

• Controlled by the nuclear energy formed at the Sun’s core

• Controlled by the magnetic force at Earth’s poles

• Largely governed by the force of gravity

• Largely governed by the magnetic force of Jupiter

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Why do the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun?

• The Sun has the strongest magnetic pull.

• The Sun is the celestial body with the greatest mass.

• The Sun is the brightest celestial body in our solar system.

• The Sun was created millions of years before the planets

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Which two forces control the orbit of a planet?

• The force of motion and the force of their moon

• The force of gravity and the force of motion

• . The force of Newton and the force of gravity

• The force of attraction and the force of magnetism

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What is the main force that causes Venus to travel along a curved orbit around the Sun instead of moving in a straight line out of the solar system?

• The magnetic force between Venus, the Sun, and Mercury

• The magnetic force between Mercury and Venus

• The force of gravity between Mercury and Venus

• The force of gravity between Venus and the Sun

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Which answer best describes Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation?

• The gravitational pull exerted on an object depends on the length of its orbital path

• The smaller an object is, the greater the force of gravity it exerts.

• Only the largest object in the universe exerts a constant force that pulls every other object towards it.

• All objects in the universe exert a gravitational force on all other objects.

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The force of gravity between two objects will be greatest if their masses are:

• small and they are far apart

• large and they are close together

• large and they are far apart

• small and they are close together

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What can we see in the sky that is directly related to gravity?

• Sun

• Stars

• Moon

• All of the above

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A friend asked a student why Earth revolves around the Sun. The student told the friend about the combined effects of the gravitational force of the Sun and the forward motion of Earth. What was the student describing?

• A supernova

• A rotation

• An orbit

• A comet

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A student is making a model of the solar system. The student wants the model to include arrows to show the force of gravity. What celestial bodies would need to have arrows?

• Earth

• The Sun

• The planets

• All celestial bodies

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