Objects in Solar System/Universal Gravitation/Models of Solar Sy

The current model of our Solar System is called the heliocentric model, which means the Sun is at the center.

Before scientists developed the current model, which is best supported by the evidence, what was believed to be the center of our solar system?

• the Solar System had no center because all the planets' orbits were random

• a star other than the Sun was the center of the Solar System

• a black hole was the center of the Solar System

• Earth was the center of the Solar System

Which of these choices states Newton’s law of universal gravitation?

• as a planet moves around its orbit, the planet sweeps out equal areas in equal amounts of time

• the orbit of a planet, or other body, around the sun is an ellipse, with the sun at one focus of the ellipse

• the square of a planet's orbit period is proportional to the cube of the planet's mean distance from the sun

• gravitational force increases as the mass of an object increases or as the distance between two objects decreases

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

The surface of Mercury has many more craters than the surface of Earth has.

Which of the following statements best explains why Mercury has many more craters than Earth?

• Mercury rotates faster than Earth 

• Mercury has a smaller mass than Earth

• Mercury is much closer to the Sun than Earth

• Mercury has a thinner atmosphere than Earth

There are many objects that are part of our Solar System including planets, moons, asteroids, and the Sun.

Which of those objects has the greatest gravitational force?

• Asteroids

• the Sun

• Moons

• Planets

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Saturn is 9.5 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun and Mars is only 1.5 AU from the Sun.  Saturn is also much larger than Mars.

Based on this information, how does the average surface temperature on Mars compare to the average surface temperature on Saturn?

• since Mars is closer to the Sun than Saturn, it has a higher average surface temperature

• Saturn is larger than Mars and absorbs more light, so it has a higher average surface temperature

• since both planets are more than 1 AU from the Sun, their average surface temperatures are equal

• even though Saturn is further away, Saturn's rings cause it to have a lower average surface temperature

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Lindsay sees an object fall from a tree to Earth.

Which answer best describes the example of what Lindsay is observing?

• planetary motion

• nuclear fusion

• centripetal force

• gravitational attraction

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

The distance between objects, along with the masses of the objects, affect the gravitational force between the objects.

Which statement is true according to Newton’s law of universal gravitation?

• when the masses of objects increase, gravitational force decreases

• when distance between object increases, gravitational force decreases

• when distance between objects decreases, gravitational force decreases

• when the masses of objects decrease, the distance between objects decreases

Scientists and philosophers have long tried to explain the structure of the universe.  Some models they constructed became very sophisticated, allowing scientists to be able to accurately predict the motion of stellar bodies. What is the biggest difference between Models A, B and C?

• only Model C shows Earth orbiting the Moon

• only Model D shows the Sun in the center

• only Model C shows Venus closer to the Sun than Mercury

• only Model D shows Earth orbiting the Sun

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

There are two unusual objects in the Milky Way galaxy, which are shown below. Scientists hypothesize that they were formed in another galaxy and now actually reside in the Milky Way. Which force most likely resulted in the Milky Way galaxy capturing these objects from another galaxy?

• gravitational force, because the mass of the objects in the Milky Way pulled these objects toward it

• frictional force, because of the physical collision between the Milky Way and the other galaxy

• electric force, because the stars in the Milky Way generate enough energy to draw other objects to them

• magnetic force, because of the magnetic fields generated by the planets in the Milky Way 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

What is the strongest data that Student B can use in her argument to support the dwarf planet classification?

• the length of time that Pluto was considered a planet

• the properties of dwarf planets compared to Pluto

• the circumference of Earth's orbit compared to Pluto's

• the properties of Jupiter compared to Eris