SCIENCE Topic 1.3 - THE DWARF PLANETS

What must a celestial body do to be considered a planet?

• Be in orbit around a star other than the Sun.
• Be composed mostly of gas.
• Have cleared its orbit of similar objects.
• Both a and c.

Which of the following is NOT a dwarf planet?

• Pluto
• Eris
• Jupiter
• Makemake

Where are most dwarf planets located?

• Kuiper Belt
• Asteroid Belt
• Near Earth
• Oort Cloud

Who discovered Pluto and in what year?

• Galileo in 1609
• Kepler in 1610
• Clyde Tombaugh in 1930
• Herschel in 1781

Which moon is the largest in comparison to its planet?

• Europa
• Charon
• Ganymede
• Titan

How long does it take Pluto to complete one orbit around the Sun?

• 365 days
• 12 years
• 100 years
• 248 years

What is unique about Pluto's atmosphere?

• It has no atmosphere.
• It sublimates from solid nitrogen when near the Sun.
• It is primarily composed of hydrogen.
• It is in equilibrium.

What makes Pluto’s orbit eccentric?

• It crosses Neptune's orbit.
• It is perfectly circular.
• It is tilted 90 degrees.
• It is always the same distance from the Sun.

Which dwarf planet is slightly larger than Pluto?

• Eris
• Ceres
• Haumea
• Makemake

Which of the following is true about Ceres?

• It is the smallest known asteroid.
• It contains 1/10th the mass of the Asteroid Belt.
• It is believed to have a rocky core and possibly a liquid layer.
• It has no known moons.