Asteroids, Meteoroids, and Comets Quiz

What is the term for a small rocky object that enters Earth's atmosphere and burns up, creating a streak of light in the sky?

• a) Asteroid

• b) Meteoroid

• c) Comet

• d) Meteor

What is the main characteristic of C-asteroids?

• a) High metal content

• b) High carbon content

• c) High silicon content

• d) High ice content

Which of the following is mostly composed of ice, dust, and gas, and has a bright tail when it approaches the Sun?

• a) Asteroid

• b) Meteoroid

• c) Comet

• d) Kuiper Belt Object

What is the term for the bright, glowing cloud of gas and dust that envelops the nucleus of a comet when it approaches the Sun?

• a) Corona

• b) Ionosphere

• c) Magnetosphere

• d) Coma

In which region of the solar system are most asteroids found?

• a) Oort Cloud

• b) Kuiper Belt

• c) Asteroid Belt

• d) Trojan Points

What happens to the materials from the nucleus of a comet as it gets closer to the Sun?

• a) They freeze solid

• b) They transform into gas and dust

• c) They become more solid

• d) They remain unchanged

Where do astronomers believe short-period comets come from?

• a) Oort Cloud

• b) Kuiper Belt

• c) Asteroid Belt

• d) Ionosphere

Where do long-period comets come from?

• a) Kuiper Belt

• b) Oort Cloud

• c) Asteroid Belt

• d) Magnetosphere

What is the approximate location of the asteroid belt?

• a) Between Earth and Venus

• b) Between Mars and Jupiter

• c) Between Jupiter and Saturn

• d) Between Saturn and Uranus

Which asteroid group has orbits that bring them close to Earth but primarily remain outside Earth's orbit?

• a) Apollo asteroids

• b) Aten asteroids

• c) Amor asteroids

• d) Trojan asteroids