Asteroids and Comets Quiz

What primarily distinguishes a comet from an asteroid?

• The size

• The composition

• The orbit

• The location in the solar system

Where is the asteroid belt located?

• Between Mars and Jupiter

• Between Earth and Mars

• Between Jupiter and Saturn

• Outside the orbit of Neptune

What are comets mostly made of?

• Rock

• Ice and dust

• Iron and nickel

• Gas

What causes a comet's tail to form?

• Its speed through space

• Collisions with other comets

• The gravitational pull of planets

• Solar radiation heating the comet

How do most asteroids in the solar system compare in size to planets?

• They are larger

• They are about the same size

• They are smaller

• Their size cannot be compared

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

What is the term for a comet or asteroid that passes close to the Earth?

• Meteor

• Meteorite

• Near-Earth object (NEO)

• Extraterrestrial object

What happens to a comet's orbit when it passes close to a large planet?

• It becomes perfectly circular

• It does not change

• It can become more elliptical

• It turns into a straight line

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of asteroids?

• They can have moons

• They are primarily made of ice

• They can be found in the asteroid belt

• Some have orbits that cross Earth's orbit

What is the name given to the bright streak of light caused when a meteoroid burns up in the Earth's atmosphere?

• Comet

• Asteroid

• Meteor

• Meteorite

What is the primary difference between a meteor and a meteorite?

• A meteor is made of ice, while a meteorite is made of rock

• A meteor burns up in the atmosphere, while a meteorite hits the Earth's surface

• A meteor is found in space, while a meteorite is found on Earth

• There is no difference; they are the same